John Nho Trong Nguyen

Judge Nho Trọng Nguyễn (aka John Nguyen) – A Trailblazing Life of Public Service.

In Viet Nam, Mr. Nguyen was a student leader in college, a high school math teacher, an engineer, an Army Officer. After the new Constitution, which he fought for while a student, was enacted, he ran and was elected Congressman, representing the First Congressional District of Saigon for two consecutive terms (1967-1975). In Congress, he worked on rural and urban land reforms; served as an Associate-Justice of the Special-Supreme-Court of South-Viet Nam; was a frequent lecturer on national issues at -he National-Defense-College in Saigon. After the communist Tet offensive in 1968, he was a guest of the US government to tour different cities and states meeting Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Senators Edward Kennedy and Hugh Scott, Congressman Ackerman, then Governor Spiro Agnew, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, faculties and students at several universities, public agencies, private organizations, held press briefings to discuss the war in Viet Nam.

Arriving in the U.S. as a refugee in 1975, Nguyen worked hard to rebuild his life from the bottom as a handyman’s helper, a welfare worker, in the while going to college to obtain an MBA and a J.D., became a computer programmer, a Deputy Public Defender, a Depuy-Attorney-General at the California-Department-of-Justice. In 2000, he was appointed to become the first Vietnamese American Superior Court Judge in Southern California.

As a lawyer he provided pro-bono service to defend victims of human rights abuses in Viet Nam.

As a judge, he earned widespread praise from plaintiffs, defense attorneys, jurors, and colleagues for his hard work, fairness, professionalism, legal scholarship and fidelity to the Constitution.

Outside the courtroom, Judge Nguyen has made a profound impact on legal education and community mentorship as an adjunct professor of law at Whittier-Law-School (WLS) and Western-State-University (WSU).

Judge Nguyen has mentored hundreds of law students and young attorneys, and judged Mock Trials, Peer, and Teen Courts, frequently spoke at schools and colleges and community organizations in California and other states, bringing lessons of justice and perseverance to diverse audiences, inspiring the next generation of legal professionals.

He was elected to serve three terms as President of the California- Asian-American-Judges-Association.

Samples of Awards & Honors:

1984: Refugee-Services-Award, YMCA-National-Board, Chicago for having assisted 1100 Vietnamese Refugees resettled in America.
2001: Inducted into WSU Hall of Fame
2005: Judge-of-the-Year, West Orange County Bar Association.
2005 & 2008: Honorary Doctor of Laws, Whittier Law School (05), Western State University (08)
2006: Trailblazer, National Asian-Pacific-American Bar Association conference in Philadelphia.
2007: Trailblazer, National-Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys (California)
2008: Judge of the Year, Orange County Women Lawyers Association
2008: Asian American Role Model, The Asian American Business Association.
2013: Honored by Orange County Board of Supervisors, City of Santa Ana, City of Garden Grove, California State Assembly & Senate for his commitment to justice and public service.
Judge Nguyen’s dedication to public services forged a legal legacy in America—one that blends compassion, scholarship, and an unbending commitment to justice.

Sampling of few comments about Judge Nguyen:

Tony (law intern): Thank you for teaching me what it is to be a lawyer and a man of integrity.
J L (a colleague): It has been an honor working with you. You have shown me the importance of tempering justice with compassion and your ability to administer justice with compassion is what makes you a truly great judge.
Virginia (juror): Wonderful judge presented beautifully our duties and related personally to each juror as he questioned them with feeling! Judge Nguyen is an inspiration to all potential jurors, and all Americans!