Judge Robert K. Puglia ’58, who served as presiding justice of the 3rd District Court of Appeal for nearly a quarter century, died Friday at the age of 75. A former Sacramento County Superior Court judge, Puglia was elevated in 1974 to the 3rd District court in Sacramento by then-Governor Ronald Reagan. Puglia was soon promoted to presiding justice, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. In 2003, Puglia received Boalt Hall’s prestigious Jensen Public Service Award.
A longtime big band enthusiast and a popular leader in the legal community, Puglia was honored in February with a special musical tribute over Sacramento radio station KCTC. The hour-long broadcast featured 13 of Puglia ‘s favorite big band songs, each introduced by an eminent justice, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. Listen to the broadcast by visiting the California Courts website.
Read the Los Angeles Times‘ obituary (registration may be required).