Joyce Kennard, California Supreme Court’s first Asian American justice, dies at 85

Born in Indonesia and interned during World War II, Kennard later became known for a judicial record that often crossed ideological lines.

Photo via Marin Women’s Hall of Fame (YouTube)

Joyce L. Kennard, who broke two barriers when she joined the California Supreme Court in 1989, died Aug. 26 at age 85. She was the first person of Asian descent and second woman to serve on the state’s highest court, where she remained for 25 years before retiring in 2014. Announcing her death on Sept. 18, t…