Rafael Martínez Torres

Rafael Martínez Torres (born February 14, 1959) is a Puerto Rican jurist. Since 2009 he has served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

Rafael Martínez Torres
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Incumbent
Assumed office March 10, 2009
Appointed by	Luis Fortuño
Preceded by	Baltasar Corrada del Río
Judge of the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals
In office 1995–2009
Appointed by	Pedro Rosselló
Personal details
Born	(1959-02-14) February 14, 1959 Humacao, Puerto Rico
Education	University of Puerto Rico (BA) University of Puerto Rico School of Law (JD)

Early life and education

Martínez was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico. In 1976 graduated he with high honors, from Ana Roqué High School in Humacao. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Afterwards, he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, where he served as editor of the Law Review. Martínez was also research assistant of José Julián Álvarez, a prominent Constitutional Law professor.

Judicial career

After working in private practice and in the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, Martínez in 1995 was appointed to the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals by Governor Pedro Rosselló. After spending 14 years in that Court, Governor Luis Fortuño elevated him to Associate Justice of the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by Justice Baltasar Corrada del Río. That seat had been vacant for over three years.

He was sworn in on March 10, 2009. The Constitution of Puerto Rico mandates that Supreme Court Justices must retire when they reach the age of seventy. Therefore, Justice Martínez term will expire in 2029.

See also

• List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists

References

• Supreme Court Website, in Spanish