After several years presiding over the O.J. Simpson murder case, Judge Lance Ito has never left the limelight. Simpson was later acquitted of the murder, and since the 1995 homicide case was one of the most discussed cases in American history, it drew immense attention to the judge.
From the basic facts of his biography to those concerning his career and family life, we want to learn more about Judge Lance Ito and find out what happened to him.
Judge Lance Ito Bio
Judge Lance Ito is a retired American judge who is best known for being a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1987 to 2015. During his jury career, this brilliant judge presided over over 500 trials, including such high-profile cases as the O.J. Simpson murder case and the Charles H. Keating Jr. trial. After thirty-five years of a successful legal career, Ito retired in 2015.
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The LA Supreme Court Judge was born on August 2, 1950; he was born Lance Allan Ito in Los Angeles, California. According to records, his parents Jimmy Ito and his wife Toshi Ito are Japanese immigrants.
While growing up, Lance attended John Marshall High School in Los Feliz County, Los Angeles. As president of the student union, he was awarded the Scholar-Athlete Prize in 1968. Shortly after graduation, Judge Lance Ito enrolled at the University of California in Los Angeles, where he earned a law degree in 1972. He then attended the University of California, Berkeley’s Boalt Hall, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1975.
After graduating, Lance joined the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in 1977. He was assigned to the Hardcore Gang and the Terrorism and Organized Crime Unit. After several years of practice, he was appointed to the City Court in 1987 by then-Governor George Deukmejian, and after two years he was promoted to the Los Angeles Supreme Court Judge in 1989.
During his twenty-six-year career as a superior court judge, Judge Lance presided over several high-profile cases. Apart from the O.J. Simpson and Keating trials, he heard and ruled on over 500 cases of fraud, corruption, injustice, rape, and so on. His courtroom, along with 55 others from Los Angeles County, was closed in 2012 due to budget cuts. About three years later (2015) the judge retired.
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Where Is He Now?
After his resignation, Judge Lance Ito revealed that he only wanted to learn to play the guitar. Surprising, isn’t it? Despite the popularity of the Simpson case, Lance never let the glow of the spotlight get into his head.
He still lives with his family in Pasadena, California. Sometime in 2016, the judge was deposed in the television series The People v. O. J. Simpson was portrayed: American criminal history. His character was played by Kenneth Choi.
Ito’s Family – Wife and Children
While working as a lawyer in the Los Angeles law firm a few years ago, Lance met Margaret Peggy York, who would eventually become his wife. York reportedly retired as a police officer in 2002. It is said that she was the first woman to reach the rank of deputy chief of police in the Los Angeles Police Department. Interestingly, she is nine years older than Lance.
The amazing couple met during an investigation at the Eagle Rock crime scene, and after that their relationship began. In 1981, they exchanged vows at a small wedding in the United States. The couple has been married for over three decades, but they have no children of their own.
Although Judge Ito and his wife never considered the possibility of having children or even adopting one, this has in no way affected the love, admiration, and mutual respect they feel for each other. In addition, Peggy York has three grown children from her previous marriage, and they see the judge as a father figure.
Their marriage has stood the test of time and has often been viewed as a union worthy of reverence. They often host cooking evenings at their villa in Pasadena while they are with so many of their friends.
