Associate Justice Marvin R. Baxter
Justice Marvin R. Baxter of the California Supreme Court was born
January 9, 1940 in Fowler (Fresno County), California. He grew up on
the family farm and was educated in the local public schools. As a
high school student he was active in student government, the student
newspaper, and athletics. He was the recipient of a journalism
scholarship issued by the San Francisco Press and Union League
(1957).
He graduated from California State University, Fresno with a
degree in Economics. He was active in student government and served
as Commissioner of Athletics (1960-61) and Student Body President
(1961-62). Honors received at Fresno State included an Outstanding
Senior Award.
Baxter was selected from nationwide competition as a Coro
Foundation Fellow in Public Affairs (1962-63). As one of twelve
fellows assigned to Coro's San Francisco office, he worked with
corporations, labor unions, legislative and executive bodies,
governmental agencies, community organizations, and political
campaigns and thereby gained valuable practical experience in the
arena of public affairs.
He married Jane Pippert Baxter on June 22, 1963. Jane is a
credentialed elementary school teacher who taught in Burlingame
while Marvin attended Hastings College of the Law. The Baxters have
two children, Laura Baxter-Simons (an attorney) and Brent M. Baxter
(a certified public accountant), and four grandchildren. Jane
retired after teaching for many years in the Fresno Unified School
District.
Baxter graduated from Hastings College of the Law in 1966.
Baxter commenced his legal career as a Fresno County deputy
district attorney in 1967, where he served for two years. He then
became an associate and later a partner in the Fresno law firm of
Andrews, Andrews, Thaxter, Jones and Baxter, where he practiced
civil law for 13 years.
While practicing law in Fresno, Baxter was very active in bar
association activities. He served on the boards of directors of the
Fresno County Bar Association, Fresno County Young Lawyers
Association, Fresno County Legal Services, Inc. (Legal Aid), and
California Young Lawyers Association. He served as President of the
Fresno County Bar Association (1981) and as President of Fresno
County Young Lawyers (1973-74).
Baxter also devoted considerable service to his alma maters,
California State University, Fresno and Hastings College of the Law.
He was a board member and president of the Fresno State Alumni
Association and of its Trust Council. He is a Director Emeritus of
Hastings College of the Law.
In January 1983 Baxter became Appointments Secretary to Governor
George Deukmejian and was the Governor's principal advisor on all
gubernatorial appointments made to the executive and judicial
branches of government. He served in this capacity for six years and
assisted in the appointment of more than 700 judges.
Baxter was appointed and confirmed as an Associate Justice of the
Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District (headquartered in Fresno)
in December 1988. He was elevated to serve as an Associate Justice
of the Supreme Court of California in January 1991 and, in 2002, was
re-elected to a new term of office which began on January 7,
2003.
Justice Baxter is a member of the Judicial Council of California
and chairs its Policy Coordination and Liaison Committee. He
formerly chaired the Council's Appellate Advisory Committee. Justice
Baxter also formerly chaired the California Supreme Court's
Building, Official Reports, and Library Committees.
Justice Baxter is the recipient of the 1998 Distinguished Alumnus
Award from Hastings College of the Law, the 1996 Distinguished
Alumnus Award from California State University, Fresno, the 1996
Mentor Award from the Fresno County Young Lawyers Association, the
1995 Alumnus of the Year Award from the Fresno Chapter of the
Hastings College of the Law Alumni Association, the 1993 Man of the
Year Award from the Armenian Professional Society, the 1991 Man of
the Year Award from the Armenian National Committee, and the 1977
Outstanding Service Award from the Fresno State University Alumni
Association.
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