SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A legal trailblazer and longest-serving sitting member of the California Supreme Court said Wednesday he'll retire this year, giving Gov. Gavin Newsom an opportunity to shape the state's highest court.
Justice Ming W. Chin will retire Aug. 31 after nearly 25 years on the state Supreme Court.
Chin was the first Chinese American appointed to the court, by Republican Gov. Pete Wilson in 1996, and its second Asian American. The current seven-member court has three Asian Americans, including Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye.
Chin gained a reputation for being prolific, thoughtful and hard-working. He authored a landmark decision that paved the way for spousal abuse to be used as a defense in murder cases and joined the majority in 1997 to strike down a law requi
