Jack Berman was a prominent lawyer, judge, and civil rights activist who was married to Dianne Feinstein, the former U.S. senator from California and mayor of San Francisco, for four years in the 1950s. He died in 2002 at the age of 80 after suffering a fall while playing tennis.
He was famously known for his successful and popular wife Dianne Feinstein whom he divorced just after 3 years of wedding. However, he came into the limelight in September 2023 after the death of Dianne Feinstein.
Early Life and Education
Jack Berman was born in 1922, in San Francisco, California. He attended a private High School, where he excelled academically and was involved in various extracurricular activities, such as debating, journalism, and drama. He graduated as the valedictorian of his class.
He then enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed his higher studies. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society and founded the Labor Board, which advocated for better working conditions for students. He also served as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Californian, the student newspaper.
Navy Service
He graduated from Berkeley in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree and joined the U.S. Navy during World War II. Jack Berman served as a lieutenant and was assigned to the War Crimes Tribunal in Manila, Philippines, where he worked as a defense counsel for Japanese war criminals from 1946 to 1947.
He returned to Berkeley after the war and enrolled at the School of Jurisprudence, which later became the Boalt Hall School of Law. He graduated in 1949 with a law degree and passed the California bar exam.
Career – As a Judge
Jack began his legal career as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office under Pat Brown, who later became the governor of California. He handled several high-profile cases, such as the murder trial of Barbara Graham, who was executed in 1955 for killing an elderly widow.
He left the DA’s office in 1956 and joined a private law firm, where Jack Berman specialized in civil litigation and criminal defense. He represented clients from various backgrounds and causes, such as labor unions, civil rights groups, anti-war protesters, and celebrities. Some of his notable cases include defending comedian Lenny Bruce against obscenity charges, suing the FBI for wiretapping Martin Luther King Jr., and challenging the constitutionality of the Vietnam War draft.
Social Media Presence
Twitter – @SenFeinstein
Facebook – @SenatorFeinstein
Wikipedia – @Dianne_Feinstein
Instagram – Not found
Homepage – SeeFutureNews.com
Achievements
He also served as a judge pro tem in the San Francisco Municipal Court from 1961 to 1964 and as a commissioner of the San Francisco Superior Court from 1964 to 1970. He was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown as a judge of the San Francisco Superior Court in 1977 and served until his retirement in 1992.
He was known for his progressive and compassionate approach to justice, often favoring rehabilitation over punishment for nonviolent offenders. Jack Berman also advocated for reforms in the criminal justice system, such as abolishing the death penalty, decriminalizing marijuana, and creating diversion programs for drug addicts and mentally ill defendants.
He received several awards and honors for his legal work, such as the American Civil Liberties Union Award, the Thurgood Marshall Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
Jack Berman’s Wife and Wedding
Jack married Dianne Goldman in 1956. She was a Stanford University graduate who worked as a public relations consultant. They met through mutual friends and had a Jewish wedding ceremony.
Mr. Berman and Dianne Feinstein divorced in 1959 due to irreconcilable differences. They remained on friendly terms and shared custody of their daughter. Feinstein remarried twice: first to Bertram Feinstein, a neurosurgeon who died of colon cancer in 1978; second to Richard C. Blum, an investment banker who died of heart failure in 2022.
From the various sources, seefuturenews.com got to know that Jack later remarried a woman named Terry Berman. However, further details about Terry are not available but she supported him until his death after a fall.
How did Dianne Feinstein Die?
Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate and the longest-serving senator from California, has died at age 90, according to multiple sources. Feinstein’s death leaves a vacancy in her influential Senate seat, which will be filled by an appointment from Governor Gavin Newsom.
Feinstein was a trailblazer for women in politics, becoming the first female mayor of San Francisco in 1978 after the assassination of her predecessor George Moscone, and fellow supervisor Harvey Milk. She later became the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2009.
Feinstein’s health and mental acuity had been a subject of speculation and concern in recent years, as she faced criticism from some progressive activists and groups who urged her to retire or step down from her leadership positions. She had been hospitalized several times for various ailments, including a pacemaker implantation in 2017 and a brain inflammation as a complication from shingles in 2020.
Kids
They had one daughter, Katherine Feinstein (born Katherine Berman), in 1957. She followed her parents’ footsteps and became a lawyer and judge. She served as a judge of the San Francisco Superior Court from 2000 to 2013 and was its presiding judge from 2010 to 2012.
Table of Important Data
| Name | Jack K. Berman |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | 1922 |
| Birth Place | San Francisco, California |
| Death Date | April 11, 2002 |
| Death Place | San Francisco, California |
| Cause of Death | Head injury from a fall |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) University of California, Berkeley School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Judge, Civil Rights Activist |
| Ex-Wife | Dianne Feinstein (m. 1956; div. 1959) |
| Wife | Terry Berman |
| Children | Katherine Feinstein Mariano |
| Grandchildren | Eileen Feinstein Mariano |
Jack Berman Death and Legacy
Jack died on April 11, 2002, at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. He was 80 years old. He suffered a head injury after collapsing from a heart arrhythmia while playing tennis at the Olympic Club, a private social and athletic club. He was rushed to the hospital but never regained consciousness.
He is remembered as a brilliant and courageous lawyer, judge, and activist who fought for justice and equality for all. He is also remembered as a loving and supportive father, grandfather, and friend who had a zest for life and a sense of humor.
Bullet Points of Information
- Jack Berman was a prominent lawyer, judge, and civil rights activist who was married to Dianne Feinstein, the former U.S. senator from California and mayor of San Francisco, for four years in the 1950s.
- He served as a defense counsel for Japanese war criminals in the War Crimes Tribunal in Manila after World War II.
- This famous judge handled several high-profile cases as a prosecutor and a defense attorney, such as the murder trial of Barbara Graham, the obscenity trial of Lenny Bruce, and the wiretapping lawsuit against the FBI.
- Jack was appointed as a judge of the San Francisco Superior Court by Governor Jerry Brown in 1977 and served until his retirement in 1992.
- He was known for his progressive and compassionate approach to justice, often favoring rehabilitation over punishment for nonviolent offenders.
- Berman received several awards and honors for his legal work, such as the ACLU Award, the Thurgood Marshall Award from the NAACP, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
- He died in 2002 at the age of 80 after suffering a head injury from a fall while playing tennis.
- He is survived by his daughter, Katherine Feinstein Mariano, and his two grandsons, Alexander and Zachary Mariano.
FAQs
When did Jack Berman marry Dianne Feinstein?
1956.
How many children did Jack Berman have?
He had a daughter named Katherine Feinstein.
What was Jack Berman’s cause of death?
Jack Berman died of a head injury from a fall after collapsing from a heart arrhythmia while playing tennis.
What was Jack Berman’s occupation?
Jack was a lawyer, judge, and civil rights activist.
What awards did Jack Berman receive for his legal work?
Berman received several awards and honors for his legal work, such as the ACLU Award, the Thurgood Marshall Award from the NAACP, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
Did Jack Berman remarry?
Yes, he remarried to Terry Berman.
