The Stanley Mosk Library & Courts Building is located just west of the State Capitol Building and was formerly known as the Library & Courts Building. There is a statue located at the NW corner of the building that honors Stanley Mosk and his years of service. The building has two marble statues located near the north entrance as well as tall, Greek columns (10 total) that represent the Greek influences in architecture on this government building. There is also a bas-relief art sculpture at the top of the north end of the building depicting a scene of men and beasts with an inscription below that was taken from the former poet,
The Person:
Stanley Mosk was born September 4th, 1912 and died on June 19th, 2001. The Library & Courts Building was renamed in his memory and dedicated by then-Chief Justice Ronald M. George of the California Supreme Court in a special session and ceremony in front of the building on November 6th, 2002. Stanley Mosk served as a California Supreme Court Justice from 1964 to 2001, when he passed, making him the longest-serving Justice in California history. There's a good biography of Mosk's life on
Wikipedia.org here. I also located the California Supreme Court Historical Society web page that contains the
minutes from a special session that was given for Stanley Mosk and for which this building was dedicated in his honor. I chose Stanley Mosk's wife's eulogy she gave during the special ceremony and reads:
It is such a great privilege for me to be here today as we rededicate the state Library and Courts Building in memory of my late husband, Justice Stanley Mosk, and unveil a statue in his likeness.
I thank you, Chief Justice George, for your counsel and assistance; I thank you, Senator Burton, for authoring the state concurrent resolution renaming the building; the Legislature for commissioning the statue; and the artist, Lisa Reinertson, for creating it.
Stanley was a modest man, and his thoughts about how he would be remembered would never have been so grand as to include the renaming of this building and the unveiling of this remarkable statue.
The building appropriately honors Stanley. And I, as his wife, find it quite fitting for it is more than just a stately edifice to be visited and admired; it was one of the places where Stanley labored during his distinguished 37 years on the Supreme Court authoring almost 1700 opinions. His labor did not weigh him down, but in fact invigorated him. Fortunate man that he was, Stanley loved the law and whatever he accomplished.
In his lowkey manner, he provided legal scholarship and leadership, for Stanley’s passion was to do justice, to do everything in his power to ensure that every man and every woman, whether rich or poor, famous or unknown, was treated fairly and was accorded equal dignity in the eyes of the law.
Stanley’s passion for justice often compelled him to take very strong positions on controversial issues. Regardless of the outcome, Stanley’s respect for colleagues who may have had differing opinions never diminished. Stanley extended great courtesy to all of them; and they, in turn, extended great courtesy to him.
This statue appropriately honors Stanley. As all of you may know, although Stanley was quite a dashing fellow, he was not quite seven feet tall! This statue is larger than Stanley was, and I found that to be so fitting. For Stanley himself was larger than life. His energy was boundless, his mind far-reaching, and his heart all-encompassing. He lived a life of honoring humanity, protecting those in need, and fighting for what he believed was right. And only a larger-than-life statue could match such an achievement.
Stanley passed away on June 19, 2001. He is missed by so very many. But I miss him every day, for we were constant companions sharing our innermost thoughts and feelings. In fact, we were each other’s best friend.
Today, however, is a time to rejoice as we rededicate this building, unveil this statue, which together with all the opinions he authored will ensure that Stanley’s name will, indeed, be remembered.
Stanley would be so very proud, and I am very proud to bear his name and his memory. On Stanley’s behalf, I thank each of you, especially the administrative staff who have worked so diligently, for this very great honor and tribute you do him today. I thank you all.