Maria Lopez facts for kids

Maria Lopez (born September 12, 1953) is a Cuban-American former judge. She was also a TV judge on her own show, Judge Maria Lopez.

Maria Lopez made history as the first Latina judge in Massachusetts. She was first chosen as a District Court Judge by Governor Michael Dukakis. Later, in 1993, she became the first Latina to be appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court. Judge Lopez also worked as an assistant attorney general, helping to protect people's civil rights.

She was married to Stephen Mindich, who passed away. He owned the Boston Phoenix newspaper. Maria Lopez lives in Newton, Massachusetts. She has two sons, Michael (born in 1983) and David (born in 1985). They both went to the University of Michigan.

Lopez earned a degree in Government from Smith College. She also has a law degree from Boston University.

Judge Lopez's Time on the Bench

A Difficult Case and Its Outcome

In the early 2000s, Judge Lopez was involved in a case that caused a lot of discussion. A person named Charles Horton was found guilty of serious crimes involving a child. The prosecutor asked for a long jail sentence for Horton.

However, Judge Lopez decided to sentence Horton to house arrest and five years of probation. This meant he would stay at home instead of going to jail. This decision made many people upset, including the victim's family and people living near where Horton would be staying.

Public Reaction and Resignation

Because of this sentencing, some politicians, like then Governor Paul Cellucci, suggested new laws. They wanted to make sure judges had less choice in sentencing for certain crimes.

Three years later, a special commission looked into Judge Lopez's actions. They found that she had not acted properly and had lied under oath. The commission suggested she apologize and be suspended for six months.

Instead of accepting the suspension, Judge Lopez resigned from her position on May 19, 2003. She stated that she could not admit to something she believed she did not do. Her lawyer explained that she decided to step down because the situation was very difficult for her and her family.

Television Show

Starting a New Career

On September 11, 2006, Maria Lopez started her own TV show called Judge Maria Lopez. On this show, real people came to her court to settle their disagreements. Each episode might have two smaller cases or one larger case.

Show's Performance and End

After its first year, Judge Maria Lopez was not very popular. It had low viewership compared to other court shows. Even though the ratings were low, the show was renewed for a second season.

However, in February 2008, it was announced that the show would be canceled. This happened after two seasons because of the continued low ratings.

See also

• List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Massachusetts