A.V. BAR GROUP NAMES JURIST JUDGE OF YEAR.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

For Michael Luros, the brass and wood plaque he received as Judge of the Year is as big an honor as the Oscar statuettes that will be presented this month to Academy Award winners.

``I would only liken this to what's coming up in a couple of weeks, the Academy Awards. It's the highest recognition in movies,'' said Luros, named Friday as the Antelope Valley Bar Association's first Judge of the Year. ``This award is recognition of not just myself but of all the bench officers who are here.''

Luros, who has been assigned to Lancaster Superior Court since December 1997, was cited for his work in handling civil cases, in addition to a busy criminal calendar.

Luros said the award is an honor - but one that comes at a price.

``It's a reminder to me that I have to work and strive each day to justify the honor you have bestowed upon me,'' said Luros, 51. ``It's something I have to keep earning every day, every month, every year.''

Bar Association President Rob Parris said that Luros frequently volunteers during lunch hours, Friday evenings and Saturdays to preside over civil settlement conferences and spends many hours of his own time reading court briefs to prepare for law and motion hearings.

``He has gone above and beyond the call of duty in handling civil matters,'' said Lancaster Superior Court Presiding Judge Frank Jackson, who noted that each Lancaster judicial officer handles more criminal cases than anywhere else in Los Angeles County.

During the Bar Association luncheon, Luros received commendations from state Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, a representative from Assemblyman George Runner's office, the city of Lancaster, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the sheriff's booster club and the California Highway Patrol.

CHP Assistant Chief Greg Augusta described how officers have called Luros in the middle of the night to ask him to issue search warrants, and Luros has always been patient and made himself available.

``I can't recall one time when he was too busy to provide us with what we needed,'' Augusta said.

Luros, who is noted for his sense of humor and from time to time tells jokes from the bench to help lighten the courtroom atmosphere, cracked a few while giving his acceptance speech.

After being recognized by the CHP, Luros quipped, ``It is the first thing I've received from the highway patrol that they haven't asked me to sign.''

One thing he is known for is bringing doughnuts almost every day to share with attorneys and court staff. Jackson spoke of gaining 10 pounds from visiting ``Cafe Luros.''

``He's known for his gentle demeanor in court and for the professional way he treats attorneys and people in court,'' Parris said.

Luros was elected to the Superior Court in March 1996. Before coming to Lancaster, Luros had been in dependency court in Monterey Park, which oversees children who have been taken out of their home because of abuse or neglect.

Before that, Luros served 15-1/2 years as a Municipal Court judge in Van Nuys. He has twice served on the state Court of Appeal as an associate justice and filled in briefly as a Superior Court judge from May to September 1992.

As a lawyer, Luros worked with Stanley Fleischman, a well-known First Amendment lawyer.

Luros then moved on to a law firm where he handled property and negligence cases in addition to constitutional law work.

In 1975, Luros struck out on his own, doing appeals for other lawyers and court-appointed criminal cases, then headed to the state Public Defender's Office.

Then-Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in April 1981.

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Luros moved to the San Fernando Valley when he was 10. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1969 and his law degree from the University of Chicago in 1972.

Luros said he is not married, except to his two dogs, ``who never talk back and are always happy to see me.''

Luros added, when he came to the Lancaster court, he found a home. ``When I came to the Antelope Valley, I came to learn this was my destination, this was my beshert,'' a word that means ``intended,'' Luros said.

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PHOTO (Color) Michael Luros

Honored recipient