Maite Oronoz Rodríguez

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Oronoz and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.
Maite Oronoz Rodríguez
17th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 22, 2016
Appointed byAlejandro García Padilla
Preceded byLiana Fiol Matta
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
In office
July 15, 2014 – February 22, 2016
Appointed byAlejandro García Padilla
Preceded byLiana Fiol Matta
Succeeded byAngel Colón-Pérez
Personal details
Born1976 (age 47–48)
SpouseGina R. Méndez-Miró
EducationVillanova University (BA)
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (JD)
Columbia University (LLM)

Maite Oronoz Rodríguez (born 1976) is a Puerto Rican jurist who currently serves as the 17th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico since 2016. Oronoz Rodríguez is Puerto Rico's first openly gay chief justice.[1][2]

Early years and education

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Oronoz Rodríguez earned her bachelor's degree in history at Villanova University, cum laude, where she was a member of the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society. Later, she studied law at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor magna cum laude. She also earned an L.L.M. at Columbia University and has postgraduate studies in history from University of Puerto Rico, and history and literature courses from the University of Florence, Italy. She was an editor of the University of Puerto Rico Law Review.

Professional experience

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Chief Justice Oronoz-Rodríguez began her professional career as a law clerk to former chief justice Federico Hernández-Denton, serving at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico from 2002 to 2004.[3] After earning an LL.M. at Columbia Law in New York, she served as deputy solicitor general and acting solicitor general of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 2005 to 2008. She engaged in the private practice of the law from 2009 to 2013, especially in the fields of commercial and civil litigation in both state and federal courts. Before her appointment to the Supreme Court, she served as chief legal counsel of the city of San Juan, from 2013 to 2014.

Supreme Court

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Associate Justice

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On June 4, 2014, Gov. Alejandro García Padilla nominated Oronoz Rodríguez to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, following Associate Justice Liana Fiol Matta's nomination as chief justice. She was confirmed by the Senate on June 23, 2014. She was finally sworn in on July 15, 2014.

During her swearing in ceremony, Oronoz Rodríguez declared that her "commitment will always be with those who demand justice, regardless of race, color, gender, nationality, social origin or condition, sexual orientation or identity, or political or religious ideals."[4]

Chief Justice

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Following the retirement of Chief Justice Fiol Matta, Gov. García Padilla nominated Oronoz Rodríguez to replace her on February 12, 2016.[5] Three former Chief Justices expressed their support for Oronoz Rodríguez's nomination: José Andreu García, Hernández Denton, and Fiol Matta.[6] After being confirmed by the Senate of Puerto Rico on February 22, 2016,[7] she was sworn in as chief justice the same day.[8]

Oronoz Rodríguez was a member of the Board of Directors of the Conference of Chief Justices from 2021 to 2022 and participates in the Court Management and Public Engagement, Trust and Confidence Committee of this organization.[9] She is also a collaborator of the Fairness and Awareness Work Group of the Blueprint for Racial Justice to address issues central to the justice system. In 2021, together with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, she addressed over 157 judges from Latin America as part of a United States Department of Justice training program for the judiciaries of the Western Hemisphere.[10]

In 2018 she received the “LLSA IMPACTO Award” in recognition for her leadership, commitment to public service and justice for all.[11] She was awarded the National Center for State Courts’ 2018 Distinguished Service Award for her leadership overseeing the restoration of court services following hurricanes Irma and Maria.[12]  

In 2021, she became the first woman to chair the Senate and Representative Congressional Districts Constitutional Review Board.[13] [14] In 2022, she assumed the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Central American and Caribbean Judicial Council.[15]

Personal life

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Oronoz Rodríguez is married to Gina R. Méndez-Miró, judge of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Together they are the mothers of twins, a boy and a girl.[16] In 2018, she became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico to give birth while in office.[16] In October 2021, she announced she was being treated for breast cancer.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Lambda Legal Applauds Historic Confirmation of First Openly Lesbian Chief Justice in the Country to Puerto Rico Supreme Court".
  2. ^ "Puerto Rico appoints first openly gay chief justice". Sun-Times National. 23 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
  3. ^ Hon. Maite D. Oronoz Rodríguez
  4. ^ "Juramenta nueva jueza asociada Hon. Maite Oronoz". Microjuris - Puerto Rico. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  5. ^ "Governor Appoints Associate Justice Oronoz Rodríguez to Preside P.R. Supreme Court". Caribbean Business. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  6. ^ "Espaldarazo de ex jueces presidentes a Oronoz Rodríguez".
  7. ^ "Senado confirma a Maite Oronoz Rodríguez como presidenta del Supremo". Primera Hora. 22 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  8. ^ "Hon. Maite Oronoz Rodríguez presta juramento como Jueza Presidenta del Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico". Microjuris - Puerto Rico. 23 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-02-28. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  9. ^ "Conference of Chief Justices - Leadership and Committee Assignments" (PDF).
  10. ^ "U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor and Puerto Rico Supreme Court Chief Justice Maite Oronoz Address Latin American Judges at Justice Department's Judicial Studies Institute". 21 April 2021.
  11. ^ "LLSA Symposium and IMPACT AWARD 2018". Maryland Carey Law Magazine. Fall 2019. p. 36.
  12. ^ "Puerto Rico Chief Justice receives NCSC's Distinguished Service Award". 20 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Sobre la Junta Constitucional | Junta Constitucional". juntaconstitucionalderedistribucion.pr.
  14. ^ "Chief Justice Maite D. Oronoz Rodriguez".
  15. ^ Cruz, Antonio Luis Negrón (2022-06-15). "Jueza presidenta asume la presidencia Pro Tempore del Consejo Judicial Centroamericano y del Caribe". CyberNews (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  16. ^ a b "Maite Oronoz Rodríguez y Gina Méndez se convierten en madres de mellizos". El Nuevo Día. April 18, 2018.
  17. ^ McPhaul, John (October 11, 2021). "Chief Justice Oronoz Rodríguez being treated for breast cancer". San Juan Daily Star. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
Legal offices
Preceded by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
2014–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
2016–present 		Incumbent
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