The Armenian Bar Association held its Annual Judges' Night 

LOS ANGELES - The Armenian Bar Association hosted its Annual Judges' Night Dinner on Tuesday at The Grand Venue in the Los Feliz district. California Supreme Court Justice Joshua P. Groban, 2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Helen Zukin and the governor's Judicial Appointments Secretary Luis Céspedes were recognized at this year's event for their work and commitment to public service.

The evening, organized by Chairwoman of the Board of Governors Lucy Verpetian and committee co-chairs Armen Akaragian and Miriam Kuregyan, brought together a sold-out audience of judicial officers, government and private-sector attorneys, and representatives from nearly every segment of the Armenian community.

Drawing on eight years in Gov. Jerry Brown's office and seven more on the bench, Groban reflected on what truly makes a good judge.

"I have about 20 or 25 traits that perhaps we can all agree on," he said, casting aside buzzwords in favor of substance. "A judge who makes people feel more comfortable, not more stressed. A judge who notices when a translator and party are struggling and steps in. A judge who remembers what it was like to be a lawyer."

What mattered, Groban suggested, wasn't pedigree but perspective. "Judges with diverse backgrounds, who've struggled, who've had different jobs--those are the judges we all want to hear."

Moments later, Zukin praised the room: "You're doing important work on forming a judiciary. ... Dedication to access to justice with diverse backgrounds, views, and different life journeys sets you apart."

She then shared her personal connection, that being her father coming to the U.S. as a refugee from Italy after World War II. "He was deported to an internment camp when Mussolini enacted the racial laws targeting Jews and those of African descent."

Zukin offered a warning: "Silence and denial of atrocities ... carries its own risks of repetition and further erodes civil liberties." Her solution: "An independent judiciary made up of judges who truly reflect the diversity of the people they serve. A bench undaunted by political pressure, mass hysteria and groupthink."

Céspedes did not mince words on the current political climate during his speech. He spoke with urgency about the moment California--and the nation--finds itself in.

"We are living," he began, "through an extraordinary time in American history." Institutions like the press, universities and law firms, he warned, are under pressure, as are people exercising their First Amendment rights.

Now more than ever, he said, "The preservation of an independent judiciary is the final defense of our American way of life and our Constitution."

He drew attention to the long-overdue recognition of the Armenian genocide, quoting Gov. Gavin Newsom's April 2025 proclamation: "We honor the strength and resilience of the Armenian people. ... Thousands made their homes in California, and we are better for their contributions."

Céspedes ended with a call to courage for those entering the judiciary: "The governor and I believe that those of you who we appoint will have the courage, empathy, humility and integrity to fulfill our moral and lawful obligation to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."