Robert Aguilar

Robert Aguilar
Senior Judgeof theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of California
In office April 15, 1996 – June 24, 1996
Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of California
In office June 18, 1980 – April 15, 1996
Appointed by	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629
Succeeded by	Jeremy Fogel
Judge of theSanta Clara County Superior Court
In office 1979–1980
Appointed by	Jerry Brown
Personal details
Born	Robert Peter Aguilar (1931-04-15)April 15, 1931 Madera, California,U.S.
Died	December 2, 2020(2020-12-02)(aged 89)
Spouse(s)	Rachel Castellanos (divorced) Elva Soper (divorced)
Children	4
Education	University of California, Berkeley(BA,JD)

Robert Peter Aguilar(April 15, 1931 – December 2, 2020) was aUnited States district judgeof theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Education and career

Born inMadera, California,Aguilar received aBachelor of Artsdegree from theUniversity of California, Berkeleyin 1954 and pursued legal studies at theUniversity of California, Hastings College of the Lawgraduating in 1959.He was in private practice inSan Josefrom 1960 to 1979, and was then a judge onSanta Clara County Superior Courtfrom 1979 to 1980.

Federal judicial service

On April 3, 1980, PresidentJimmy Carternominated Aguilar to a new seat on theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Californiacreated by 92 Stat. 1629. Aguilar was confirmed by theUnited States Senateon June 18, 1980, and received his commission the same day.

Allegations of misconduct

In 1989, he wasindictedforracketeeringandobstruction of justice.Specifically, it was alleged that Aguilar, at the request of Abe Chapman (a convicted narcotics trafficker), tried to influence another judge, JudgeStanley A. Weigel,on behalf ofMichael Rudy Tham,a formerTeamstersofficial who was appealing anembezzlementcase against him.On March 19, 1990, the case ended inacquittalon Obstruction, and in amistrialon the other counts.He was retried over the summer and convicted on five counts.and sentenced to six months in prison, 1,000 hours of community service and fined $2,000 on conviction of unlawfully disclosing a Government wiretap and obstructing justice by lying to Federal agents about it. He continued to be out on bail while his appeals took place and refused to resign. In 1993, he faced impeachment proceedings, but they were put on hold when the conviction was overturned the following year.For this reason, he was able to assumesenior statuson April 15, 1996, but chose to retire two months later on June 24, 1996.

Post judicial service

Aguilar returned to the private practice of law in Santa Clara County, from the time of his retirement from the federal bench until 2015, when he retired from the bar.He died on December 2, 2020, aged 89.

See also

• List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists

Sources

• Robert Peter Aguilarat theBiographical Directory of Federal Judges,a publication of theFederal Judicial Center.
• Selection and confirmation of Federal judges: hearing before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session... pt.6 (1980)This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.