Full Biography for Tony Rackauckas

Orange County, CA

June 2, 1998 Primary

Full Biography for Tony Rackauckas

Candidate for District Attorney

This information is provided by the candidate

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Presiding Judge, Appellate Department of the Superior Court, Orange County

Appointed by the Chief Justice of California, January 1996. Appointed to sit as the presiding judge of Department which consists of four Superior Court Judges who hear and decide all appeals from the Orange County Municipal Courts.

Judge, Superior Court, County Of Orange Appointed by Governor Wilson, March, 1993. Presides over complex criminal court and jury trials. Previously assigned to Juvenile Court presiding over juvenile criminal and child dependency matters.

Judge, Municipal Court, North Orange County Judicial District

Appointed by Governor Deukmejian, January 1990. Presided over felony preliminary hearings, misdemeanor court and jury trials, civil court and jury trials, small claims hearings and traffic trials.

Attorney, Private Practice Practiced in civil litigation with a special emphasis in business litigation from October 1988 to January 1990. Associated with attorney Richard S. Rockwell.

Deputy District Attorney, Orange County District Attorney's Office

Deputy District Attorney from September 1972 to October 1988. Homicide Deputy, July 1976 to October 1988. Handled hundreds of homicide cases, including prosecuting over 40 homicide jury trials, seven of which were capital cases. Previously assigned to the Special Assignments Unit advising the Grand Jury and handling felony extradition matters. Prosecuted felony court and jury trials including rape, robbery, arson, assault, burglary, fraud, narcotics, and child molestation while assigned to the felony panel from July 1974 to January 1976. Assigned to Municipal Court prosecuting various misdemeanors, including vice crimes from September 1972 to July 1974. Honored by peers as Outstanding Prosecutor in 1986.

Social Worker, Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services

From July 1968 to January 1972 provided social services to families that received AFDC from Los Angeles County. Selected as one of four social workers to implement and run a successful pilot program which assisted unemployed fathers of AFDC families gain employment. The program was renamed the WIN program and has continued to be successful and is currently utilized on a statewide basis.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

Authored Proposition 115. Adopted by the electorate in November 1990. Principal author of the Crime Victims' Justice Reform Act in 1987. This broad court reform measure was introduced to the California State Senate in 1989 by Senator Edward Royce, as SCA 1 and introduced to the Assembly by Assemblyman Ross Johnson. It was enacted as Proposition 115 in 1990.

Authored Torture Statute in response to the 1979 Larry Singleton case. Singleton was convicted of rape and mayhem, after hacking off the arms of his victim and leaving her for dead. Singleton was released after serving the maximum sentence of eight years in prison. The Torture Statute mandates a life sentence for such offenses.

California for a Responsible Supreme Court. Founding member and Chairman, 1980 to 1982. Established a statewide group in order to successfully recall California Chief Justice Rose Bird.

Recall Rose Bird Alliance. Founder and Executive Director, 1981 to 1983. Established a statewide group in order to successfully recall California Chief Justice Rose Bird.

Crime Victims for Court Reform, 1984. Founding member. Organization established to educate the public and campaign to Improve the California Supreme Court, which resulted in the ultimate removal of Chief Justice Rose Bird and Justices Reynoso and Grodin from the Supreme Court in 1986.

EDUCATION

Loyola University School of Law, Los Angeles Juris Doctor Degree, 1971

California State University at Long Beach Bachelor of Arts Degree, Political Science, 1968

MILITARY SERVICE

United States Army. Active Duty June 1962 to June 1964. Served as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division. Active Reservist June 1964 to June 1968. Received an Honorable Discharge.

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate
This Race || June 1998 Home (Ballot Lookup) || County Election Links
About Smart Voter

ca/or Created from information supplied by the candidate: May 10, 1998 16:48
Smart Voter '98 <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © 1998 League of Women Voters of California, Smart Valley Inc.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.