Anabelle Rodriguez

Anabelle Rodríguez Rodríguez (born December 24, 1950)[1] is a Puerto Rican lawyer, former state Attorney General, and former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. In December, 2020 she reached the age of 70, at which point the Puerto Rico Constitution mandated her retirement from the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.[2]

Early life and education

Rodríguez was born in 1950 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and obtained a bachelor's degree in History, magna cum laude, from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras. In 1985, she obtained a juris doctor magna cum laude, from the same university. She has two sons: Fernando Vela, a web developer based in Gainesville, Florida, and Ricardo Vela a teacher in New York.

Career

Rodriguez held various positions in the Puerto Rican private and government sector. She began her career in law as Law Clerk to Superior Court Judge Angel G. Hermida.[3]

In 1997 she was nominated by Bill Clinton to be U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Puerto Rico,[4] but her nomination was rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee three times.[5]

In 2001, she was appointed Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico by Governor Sila Calderón.[6][7] She worked to extend domestic violence protections to homosexual couples on the island.

In 2004, Calderon appointed Rodriguez to the Supreme Court. She officially took office on August 19, 2004 becoming the third woman ever to serve in the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. In February 2016, she was acting Chief Justice of the Court prior to the swearing in of Maite Oronoz Rodríguez.[8][9]

References

1. US Senate Judicial Nominee Questionnaire
2. Cabán, Cynthia López. "Supremo despide a la jueza asociada Anabelle Rodríguez". www.noticel.com. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
3. "Hon. Anabelle Rodríguez Rodríguez". Rama Judicial PR.
4. Clinton, William J. (1998). Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton, 1997. Best Books. p. 873. ISBN 9781623768058.
5. "Waiting and Wondering". ABA Journal: 52–53. February 1999.
6. Want, Robert S. (2005). Directory of State Court Clerks & County Courthouses. WANT publishing company. p. 228.
7. United States Department of Homeland Security Handbook. International Business Publications. 2003. p. 127. ISBN 9780739792728.
8. Lloréns Vélez, Eva (1 April 2016). "Oronoz Sworn in as Chief Justice". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
9. López Cabán, Cynthia (17 February 2016). "Instan a nuevos abogados a indignarse ante la desigualdad". Elnuevodia (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2016.

External links

• Rodriguez biography at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico website - in Spanish.