In addition to Bird, Reynoso and Grodin were also voted off the seven-justice California state supreme court bench. Justice Stanley Mosk, who often joined Bird, Reynoso, and Grodin, was not challenged, nor were the other three justices. Twelve years later, Mosk explained why he was able to stay and Bird was not: As a result of the 1986 election, newly reelected Governor George Deukmejian was able to elevate Malcolm M. Lucas to Chief Justice and appoint three new associate justices that more closely matched his generally conservative political convictions, and in turn, the Lucas court moved toward a more "business-friendly" and "pro-law enforcement" judicial philosophy. Bird was the first and remains the only Chief Justice to be removed from that office by a majority of the state's voters. California justices are selected by the Governor but must be regularly reconfirmed by the electorate. Prior to Bird, no California appellate judge had ever failed such a vote. Bird appeared as a family court judge in an episode of the 1984–1985 television series "Pryor's Place" starring Richard Pryor. In 1987, Bird appeared as a judge on a television program called "Superior Court" (a show somewhat similar to "The People's Court", though with scripted trials usually focusing on topical issues). Bird died on December 4, 1999, at Stanford University Medical Center from complications of breast cancer, which she had fought on and off since 1976. She was 63. The California Public Defender's Association established an award in her honor, as did the California Women Lawyers. New York Law School annually awards one graduating student the Chief Justice Rose E. Bird Award for Motivation in Pursuing Public Interest Law.