Judge William Highberger of Los Angeles; incompetent boob

The state of California presented William F. Highberger with a law license in 1976 after he graduated from Columbia University School of Law.  

Former Gov. Pete Wilson was duped into appointing Billy as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in 1998. Billy didn’t receive the appointment because he was the most qualified attorney in the Los Angeles area. He received it because he had proven to be a reliable lackey for the local political hacks.

It should be noted that Mark has had his significant snout firmly implanted in the public trough for the past twenty-eight (28) years.

In one matter, Billy presided over a case involving a case wherein Long Beach, chartered city claimed it could avoid the mandates of the California Constitution when it came to setting salaries of its employees without regard to the state minimum wage statute.

In a display of sheer incompetence, Billy sided with Long Beach in ruling that as a chartered city it had an absolute right to disregard California law regarding the state’s minimum wage statute.

Subsequently, city workers appealed Billy’s asinine ruling. In reversing Billy, the Court of Appeals said in part:

• “This case pits article XI, section 5 of the state Constitution, which grants to charter cities authority over municipal affairs, including ‘plenary authority’ to provide for the compensation of city employees, against article XIV, section 1 of the state Constitution, which provides ‘[t]he Legislature may provide for minimum wages and for the general welfare of employees….’ Despite the century-long history of the home rule doctrine…and the state’s regulation of the minimum wage…, the Supreme Court has not squarely resolved whether charter cities must comply with state law minimum wage requirements.
• “We conclude legislation setting a statewide minimum wage, generally applicable to both private and public employees, addresses the state’s interest in protecting the health and welfare of workers by ensuring they can afford the necessities of life for themselves and their families.”
• “Thus, the Legislature may constitutionally exercise authority over minimum wages, despite the constitutional reservation of authority in charter cities to legislate as to their municipal affairs.”

The Appeals Court went on to state:

• “Here, the statewide concern in worker health and welfare is reasonably related to the imposition of a minimum wage….[T]he minimum wage law does not deprive the City completely of its authority to determine wages.”
• “Rather, the law sets a floor based on the Legislature’s judgment as to the minimum income necessary for a living wage within this state.”
• “The City retains authority to provide wages for its employees above that minimum as it sees fit.”

It goes without saying that Billy doesn’t much give a damn when he’s overturned (rebuked in truth) by the appellate court since she is well aware that no California judge has ever been tossed off the bench for being incompetent.

As we speak (ca. April 2019) Billy continues to sit as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in Los Angeles, California.