Q:Facts: - death place: los angeles , california , u.s. - appointer: jimmy carter - successor: nora margaret manella - death date: 14 may 2015 - predecessor: francis c. whelan - office: senior the central district of california judge of the united states judge district court for the central district of california of the united states district court for - birth date: 04 february 1926 - alma mater: university university of california , los angeles , school of law of -lrb- j.d. -rrb- california , santa barbara -lrb- b.a. -rrb- - name: mariana r. pfaelzer - birth place: los angeles , california , u.s. - termstart: december 31 , 1997 august 8 , 1978 - termend: may 14 , 2015 december 31 , 1997 Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of mariana pfaelzer .
A:
mariana r. pfaelzer -lrb- february 4 , 1926 -- may 14 , 2015 -rrb- was a united states federal judge .born in los angeles , california in 1926 , pfaelzer received an a.b. from the university of california , santa barbara in 1949 and a j.d. from the ucla school of law in 1957 .she was in private practice in los angeles , california from 1957 to 1978 .on august 8 , 1978 , pfaelzer was nominated by president jimmy carter to a seat on the united states district court for the central district of california vacated by francis c. whelan .she was confirmed by the united states senate on september 22 , 1978 , and received commission the next day .she was the first female district judge appointed to that district .she assumed senior status on december 31 , 1997 .she is noted for her role in striking down california 's proposition 187 , which would have denied services to illegal aliens .more recently , judge pfaelzer handed down a $ 600 million judgment against countrywide financial .on may 14 , 2015 , pfaelzer died after serving on the federal bench for nearly 40 years .judge george h. king , the chief district court judge for the central district of california , noted that she '' was the epitome of what a federal judge ought to be ... presiwith brilliance , analytical rigor , practicality , wisdom , grace and courage . ''