Carmen Consuelo Cerezo
Encyclopedia
Carmen Consuelo Cerezo (born 1940) is a United States federal judge
.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico
, Cerezo received a B.A.
from University of Puerto Rico
in 1963, a J.D.
from University of Puerto Rico Law School
in 1966, and an LL.M. from University of Virginia School of Law
in 1988. She was in private practice of law in Puerto Rico
from 1966 to 1967, and was a law clerk
for the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
from 1967 to 1972. She was a judge on the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1972 to 1976, and on the Court of Intermediate Appeals of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1976 to 1980.
On May 14, 1980, President Jimmy Carter
nominated Cerezo to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico created by 92 Stat. 1629. She was confirmed by the United States Senate
on June 26, 1980, and received her commission on June 30, 1980 becoming the first female federal judge in Puerto Rico. She served as chief judge from 1993-99.
She is married to Benny Frankie Cerezo
, an attorney, former state legislator and political analyst, and is the mother of one son, a partner in a Miami law firm, and one daughter.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Cerezo received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
in 1963, a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from University of Puerto Rico Law School
University of Puerto Rico Law School
The University of Puerto Rico School of Law is a law school in Puerto Rico. It is one of the professional graduate schools of University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus and the only law school in the University of Puerto Rico System. It was founded in 1913 at its present site in Río Piedras,...
in 1966, and an LL.M. from University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
in 1988. She was in private practice of law in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
from 1966 to 1967, and was a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The court is based in San Juan. The main building is the Clemente Ruiz Nazario U.S. Courthouse located in the Hato Rey district of San Juan...
from 1967 to 1972. She was a judge on the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1972 to 1976, and on the Court of Intermediate Appeals of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1976 to 1980.
On May 14, 1980, President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
nominated Cerezo to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico created by 92 Stat. 1629. She was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on June 26, 1980, and received her commission on June 30, 1980 becoming the first female federal judge in Puerto Rico. She served as chief judge from 1993-99.
She is married to Benny Frankie Cerezo
Benny Frankie Cerezo
Benny Frankie Cerezo, a native of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, served as a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives between 1969 and 1973. Elected in 1968 under the banner of the newly founded New Progressive Party at an early age, incoming Speaker Angel Viera Martínez appointed him to chair...
, an attorney, former state legislator and political analyst, and is the mother of one son, a partner in a Miami law firm, and one daughter.