Clinton W. White; Former Justice on State Court of Appeal
Clinton W. White, 79, a retired justice on the California Court of Appeal who inspired many African Americans to seek law careers, died Tuesday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland. The cause was diabetes-related respiratory arrest.
White grew up in Sacramento, where he was the first black valedictorian. He later entered UC Berkeley and was awarded his bachelor’s degree and his law degree from Boalt Hall in 1948.
He was appointed to Alameda County Superior Court in 1977. The next year he was elevated to the California Court of Appeal, where he served until his retirement in 1995 as presiding justice of Division 3 of the 1st Appellate District.
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