Takasugi Memorial

BIOGRAPHY
RobertM.TakasugiwasborninTacoma,WashingtononSeptember12,
1930,toJapaneseparentswhoimmigratedtotheUnitedStatesinsearchofabetter
life.In1942aftertheoutbreakofWorldWarII,hisfamilywasimprisonedinan
internmentcampinTuleLake,Californiaalongwith130,000otherJapanese
Americans.Attheageof12,helosthisfatherduetothelackofmedicalcareinthe
camps.
Afterthewar,theTakasugifamilyrelocatedtoLosAngeleswhereRobert
attendedBelmontHighSchool.HecontinuedhiseducationatUCLAwherehemet
hiswifeDorothy.Hegraduatedwithabusinessdegreein1953.
Despitehischildhoodincarcerationbythecountryofhisbirth,Robert
reportedfordutywhencalledtoserveduringtheKoreanWar.Upondischarge,he
attendedlawschoolattheUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaduringatimewhenthere
wasonlyoneAfricanAmerican,oneAsian,oneLatino,andonewomanintheclass.
DuetothesocialclimatewhenRobertgraduatedin1959,heandtheonly
Latinointheclass(nowretiredJudgeCarlosVelarde)foundthemselveswithoutjob
offers.TheywentintoprivatepracticetogetherinEastLosAngeles.
RobertwasappointedtotheEastLosAngelesMunicipalCourtin1973and
waselevatedtotheSuperiorCourtin1975.HewasappointedtotheU.S.District
Courtin1976andbecamethefirstJapaneseAmericanonthemainlandtobe
appointedtothefederalbench.
WhilemanymayknowhimforpresidingovertheJohnDeLoreancocaine
traffickingtrialin1984,itwaseitherfateordestinythatplacedachallengetothe
PatriotActduringpostǦ9/11hysteriaonhiscourtdocket.In2002,hefoundbroad
claimsof“militarynecessity”and“nationalsecurity”couldnotoverridethe
ConstitutionandDueProcessasithadduringhischildhood.
Oneofhisproudestlegaciesmightbethefreebarreviewcoursehestarted
inhisdiningroomsome40yearsago.Hetutoredhundredsoflawyers,andwhat
beganasfriendshelpingfriendshasbecomeafullǦservicebarreviewfor“peoplewho
helppeople.”HissonrunstheProBonoBarReviewwith14volunteerinstructorsand
adonatedconferenceroom.
HeissurvivedbyhiswifeDorothy,sonJon(Haydeh),daughterLesli,two
grandchildren,KinuyoandMatthewTakasugi.Heisalsosurvivedbyhisolderbrother
Terry(Mihoko),sisterMisaoTakasugi,andmanyniecesandnephews.
***
TaxǦdeductiblecontributionsmaybemadetotheRobertM.TakasugiPro
BonoBarReview.Pleasemakechecksoutto“JABAEducationalFoundation”with
“ProBonoBarReview”ontheMemoline,andsendtotheJapaneseAmericanBar
AssociationEducationalFoundation;P.O.Box86063;LosAngeles,CA90086.
PROGRAM
Welcome
RobertK.Rasmussen
Dean,USCSchoolofLaw
IntroductionfromtheCourt
TheHonorableAudreyB.Collins
ChiefJudge,U.S.DistrictCourtinLosAngeles
Eulogies
Dr.BobSuzuki
President,CaliforniaStatePolytechnicUniversityPomona(ret)
JaniceFukai,Esq.
AlternatePublicDefender&FormerLawClerk
DaleMinami,Esq.
CoǦfounderoftheAsianLawCaucusinSanFrancisco
MusicalDedication
LesliTakasugi
FamilyAppreciation
TheHonorableJonR.Takasugi
Judge,LosAngelesSuperiorCourt