Jerry Pacht

Mendel Jerome Pacht (January 24, 1922 – April 1, 1997) was an American judge who served on the California

Pacht was born in Los Angeles[2] and earned a bachelor's degree at UCLA, worked briefly at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, then joined the Army as a lieutenant during World War II. He had a desire to become a singer, but instead earned a law degree at USC after the war. He became a litigation lawyer, specializing in publishing and entertainment.^[1]

He twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Democrat and was chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic

• A decision in municipal court that alcoholism or public drunkenness was not a crime, but a disease. He was overruled on appeal, but he "proudly noted that his ruling influenced legislation to set up detoxification centers and was reprinted in the Congressional Record."^[1]
• Striking down a University of California
  UCLA. The ruling prompted a recall effort, which failed.^[1]
• Invalidation of a 90-year-old "
  installment debtors fell behind in their payments. He said the debtor had a right to contest in court any seizure of property.^[1]
• Upholding the right of the
  U.S. Supreme Court.^[1]
• Judge Pacht also ruled that periodic tenancies required good cause for termination, despite state law allowing termination for any or no reason. Under AB1482, eff. January 1, 2020, tenancy terminations require just cause, as specified. His vision has also materialized at the legislative level.