[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 59 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    A TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE CARLOS RODRIGUEZ UPON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ESTEBAN EDWARD TORRES

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 1997

  Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend, 
Judge Carlos Rodriguez, upon his retirement after over 21 years of 
service on the bench of the State of California Workers' Compensation 
Appeals Board. Judge Rodriguez will be honored on Friday, May 9, 1997, 
at a special ceremony held in his honor in Los Angeles, CA.
  Judge Rodriguez was appointed to the Workers' Compensation Board in 
1975. He was a trailblazer, as the only Latino judge on the State of 
California Workers' Compensation Board. Recognizing a need for Latino 
representation in his field, he sought to recruit Latino lawyers and 
judges. His efforts led him to conduct legal seminars, where he 
informed and encouraged lawyers to improve themselves and their 
practice.
  The son of Mexican immigrants, Judge Rodriguez attended public school 
in the Los Nietos and Whittier area. His father, Refugio Rodriguez, was 
a shift foreman at a laminated plastics fabrication plant and his 
mother, Felicia Rodriguez, worked at a food processing plant. During 
high school, Judge Rodriguez worked on a farm feeding chickens and 
rabbits, at a car wash, and later in a machine shop. He continued 
working in the machine shop as he pursued his Bachelor of Arts degree 
in business from the University of California, Los Angeles. After 
graduating from UCLA, he was drafted into the Army and sent to France, 
where he spent 2 years as a data processing machine operator. After 
completing his tour of duty, he worked at the Los Angeles County 
Probation Department as a clerical aide, while he attended law school.
  Judge Rodriguez planned to practice criminal defense and after being 
admitted to practice law he became a prosecutor with the Los Angeles 
County District Attorney's Office, to obtain the critical trial 
experience he would need as a criminal defense lawyer. He later joined 
the law firm of Sillas and Castillo, winning the first personal injury 
case he was assigned. He then moved to the Law Offices of Nephan and 
Foglia, where he did criminal defense and some worker's compensation 
cases. His experience in worker's compensation cases led Judge 
Rodriguez to the law firm of Manuel Hidalgo to handle that firm's 
worker's compensation cases.
  During this time, Judge Rodriguez decided to take the examination for 
worker's compensation specialist and for judge of the Workers' 
Compensation Appeals Board. While he had only taken the judge 
examination to gain the experience, he passed both tests and later 
accepted an appointment as judge to the Workers' Compensation Appeals 
Board.
  His tenure has been a commitment to serving the community and his 
profession with distinction. He has dedicated many hours to providing 
legal seminars, which he intends to continue in his retirement. Also, 
Judge Rodriguez, plans to continue his advocacy and active 
volunteerism. He is a member of the Mexican American Bar Association 
and Mensa, an organization of individuals with a genius IQ.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with pride that I ask my colleagues to join me and 
Judge Rodriguez's friends and family in paying tribute to the Honorable 
Carlos Rodriguez, for his many years of dedicated service on the 
California State Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.

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