John T. Racanelli

John T. Racanelli was a retired Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division One. He was appointed by Governor Brown Jr. in 1977 and confirmed by the electorate in 1978 and 1982. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and the Korean War and was a private law practitioner before his appointment. He was also an adjunct assistant professor of law, a faculty member of The Rutter Group Update Program, and a panelist for the State Bar Convention. He was a member of the National Council on Crime & Delinquency, the California Judges Association, the Santa Clara County Bar Association, and the Bar Association of San Francisco. He was a recipient of the "Brotherhood Award and Torch of Freedom" and the "Order of Merit" from the President of the Republic of Italy. He was named "Trial Judge of the Year" by the California Trial Lawyers Association. After his retirement, he became a private judge and a member of the Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc.