Héctor Martínez Muñoz
Encyclopedia
Héctor Martínez Muñoz was the first member of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
appointed by Governor Luis A. Ferré
and confirmed by an opposition-controlled Senate of Puerto Rico
presided by Rafael Hernández Colón
.
Born on in San Juan, Puerto Rico
, Martínez obtained a B.A. from Virginia State University
and a law degree in 1951 from the University of Puerto Rico
. During twenty years he practiced law in the private sector but served ad honorem on the State Board of Education, as a Bar examiner and on the Legislative Committee of the Puerto Rico Bar Association
.
In 1971, Gov. Ferré, after withdrawing two nominations that the opposition-led Senate was going to reject, appointed Martínez as Associate Justice. Negotiations with the Senate led to his confirmation, assuming his post on the bench on June 12, 1971. After Luis Negrón Fernández resigned on September 15, 1972 after a second stint as Chief Justice, Ferré nominated Martínez for Chief Justice but the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
majority in the Senate rejected his elevation to the court's top post. Less than a year later, Martínez resigned from the bench and returned to private practice.
In the late 1970s, Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
appointed him to several ad honorem posts, including the Governor's Judicial Nominations Advisory Committee and the Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education.
Justice Héctor Martínez Muñoz died in San Juan at the age of 66.
Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico is the highest court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, having judicial authority within Puerto Rico to interpret and decide questions of Commonwealth law. As the highest body of the judicial branch of the Puerto Rican government, it is analogous to one of the...
appointed by Governor Luis A. Ferré
Luis A. Ferré
Don Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo was a Puerto Rican engineer, industrialist, politician, philanthropist, and a patron of the arts. He was the third Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973, and the founding father of the New Progressive Party which advocates for Puerto Rico...
and confirmed by an opposition-controlled Senate of Puerto Rico
Senate of Puerto Rico
The Senate of Puerto Rico is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The Senate is composed of 27 senators, representing eight constituent senatorial districts across the commonwealth, with two senators elected per district; an...
presided by Rafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fourth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for three non-consecutive terms, from 1973 to 1977 and from 1985 to 1993. An experienced politician, Hernández holds the record for being the youngest Governor of Puerto Rico,...
.
Born on 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...
, Martínez obtained a B.A. from Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
and a law degree in 1951 from the 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...
. During twenty years he practiced law in the private sector but served ad honorem on the State Board of Education, as a Bar examiner and on the Legislative Committee of the Puerto Rico Bar Association
Puerto Rico Bar Association
The Puerto Rico Bar Association or Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico was founded in the 19th century and has evolved into an organization in which until 2009; all practicing attorneys must have been members in order to practice law in the United States territory of Puerto Rico...
.
In 1971, Gov. Ferré, after withdrawing two nominations that the opposition-led Senate was going to reject, appointed Martínez as Associate Justice. Negotiations with the Senate led to his confirmation, assuming his post on the bench on June 12, 1971. After Luis Negrón Fernández resigned on September 15, 1972 after a second stint as Chief Justice, Ferré nominated Martínez for Chief Justice but the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth....
majority in the Senate rejected his elevation to the court's top post. Less than a year later, Martínez resigned from the bench and returned to private practice.
In the late 1970s, Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more successful...
appointed him to several ad honorem posts, including the Governor's Judicial Nominations Advisory Committee and the Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education.
Justice Héctor Martínez Muñoz died in San Juan at the age of 66.
Sources
- La Justicia en sus Manos by Luis Rafael Rivera, ISBN 1-57581-884-1