1984–1991
Juan Manuel Pérez-Giménez (March 28,1941 –December 10,2020) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Born in Río Piedras,San Juan,Puerto Rico,Pérez-Giménez received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Puerto Rico in 1963,a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University in 1965,and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in 1968. He was in private practice in San Juan from 1968 to 1971,and was then an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico from 1971 to 1975. He was a United States magistrate judge for the District of Puerto Rico from 1975 to 1979. [1]
On October 23,1979,Pérez-Giménez was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 5,1979,and received his commission the following day. He served as Chief Judge from 1984 to 1991,and assumed senior status on March 28,2006. [1] Pérez-Giménez died on December 10,2020,at the age of 79. He had just marked his 41st year as a district court judge on December 5,2020. [2]
On October 21,2014,Pérez-Giménez upheld Puerto Rico's ban on same-sex marriage,but the 1st Circuit sent the case back to the trial court after the Supreme Court's June 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges striking down marriage bans nationwide. The appeals court ordered Pérez-Giménez to "further consider" the matter "in light of Obergefell," adding that the appeals court judges "agree with the parties…that the ban is unconstitutional." Nonetheless,in March 2016,Pérez-Giménez upheld the ban for a second time,ruling that the Supreme Court's ruling does not apply to a territory like Puerto Rico. On April 7,2016,the Court of Appeals overturned Pérez-Giménez' ruling in a caustic benchslap,stating that it "errs in so many respects that it is hard to know where to begin." The case was assigned to a different judge for final disposition.[ citation needed ]
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico is the highest court of Puerto Rico,having judicial authority to interpret and decide questions of Puerto Rican law. The Court is analogous to one of the state supreme courts of the states of the United States and is the highest state court and the court of last resort in Puerto Rico. Article V of the Constitution of Puerto Rico vests the judicial power in the Supreme Court,which by nature forms the judicial branch of the government of Puerto Rico. The Supreme Court holds its sessions in San Juan.
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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 United States Courthouse located in the Hato Rey district of San Juan. The magistrate judges are located in the adjacent Federico Degetau Federal Building,and several senior district judges hold court at the Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Old San Juan. The old courthouse also houses the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Most appeals from this court are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit,which is headquartered in Boston but hears appeals at the Old San Juan courthouse for two sessions each year. Patent claims as well as claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act are appealed to the Federal Circuit.
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Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in Puerto Rico have most of the same protections and rights as non-LGBT individuals. Public discussion and debate about sexual orientation and gender identity issues has increased,and some legal changes have been made. Supporters and opponents of legislation protecting the rights of LGBT persons can be found in both of the major political parties. Public opposition still exists due,in large part,to the strong influence of the Roman Catholic Church,as well as socially conservative Protestants. Puerto Rico has a great influence on the legal rights of LGBT citizens. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the commonwealth since July 2015,after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.
Jorge E. Pérez-Díaz served as Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico from 1991 to 1992. He was appointed by former Governor Rafael Hernández Colón. Prior to becoming the Secretary of Justice,Pérez-Díaz served as Prosecutor General of Puerto Rico from 1989 to 1991. He is currently Major League Baseball's Senior Vice President and Special Counsel,Litigation and International Affairs.
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