Martin James Martinez peacefully passed away surrounded by his family on July 24, 2020. He was born in East Los Angeles on July 25, 1947 to Carmen and Manuel Martinez. He completed his undergraduate education at California State University, Los Angeles. He furthered his education by earning his Master’s in Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles. Yet, two degrees were not sufficient for Martin. He received his Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University in 1977 and began his legal career that spanned nearly 40 years. He was a member of both the California and New York State bars. He was a Certified Criminal Law Specialist and was a passionate advocate of the constitutional rights afforded to all of his clients. His intellectual curiosity was unremitting and he was constantly searching for new professional and personal experiences. His two greatest passions, traveling and education, were incorporated as he attended the Hague Academy of International Law in the Netherlands and the following year was a Public Lecturer at European University in Tbilisi, Georgia where he taught Constitutional Law.
Martin was a selfless father and husband who always put his family first. He is survived by his beloved wife Diana; his son Emilio and daughter Elise. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Martinez and his first daughter, Christina Martinez.
Mr. Martinez will be laid to rest surrounded by his immediate family. A memorial service will be announced at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UCSF Division of Palliative Medicine in his name.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Martin James Martinez, please visit our floral store.