When Goodwin Liu joined the seven-member California Supreme Court in 2011, he became its fourth sitting member of Asian descent. Those findings emerged from a new study by Liu and law students at Yale University that provides a portrait of Asian-Americans in the legal profession. His name was even mentioned as a potential U.S. Supreme Court candidate, but Republicans derailed his nomination to the 9th U.S. Jerry Brown swore him in for a seat on the state Supreme Court. The California Supreme Court now has three Asian-American justices after one of those of Asian descent retired in 2014.

Source: ABC News January 15, 2017 16:14 UTC