Jaime Fuster

Jaime Benito Fuster Berlingeri (January 12, 1941 – December 3, 2007)[1][2] was a politician who served as an Associate Justice to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Justice Fuster, along with Justice Liana Fiol Matta, was considered the leading liberal voice in the Puerto Rico Supreme Court.

Jaime Fuster
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
In office January 3, 1985 – March 4, 1992
Preceded by	Baltasar Corrada del Río
Succeeded by	Antonio Colorado
Personal details
Born	January 12, 1941 Guayama, Puerto Rico, U.S.
Died	December 3, 2007 (aged 66) Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, U.S.
Political party	Popular Democratic
Other political affiliations	Democratic
Education	University of Notre Dame (BA) University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (LLB) Columbia University (LLM)

Education

He obtained his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1962 and his Law Degree form the University of Puerto Rico in 1965. He later obtained a Master's Degree in Law from Columbia Law School in 1966. He then received a fellowship in law and humanities at Harvard University. In 1985, he received a Doctorate, Honoris Causa, from Temple University.

Political career

In 1979, Fuster was named Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the United States. He held that position until 1981. In 1984, he was elected Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico to the United States Congress. During his tenure (1985–1992), he served a term as Chair of Congressional Hispanic Caucus. In both terms he served on the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs, and on the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. In Congress he was a strong advocate for educational and youth programs. He supported numerous laws and bills to give state and local governments assistance for youth service projects and programs aimed at preventing drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse. He also supported the establishment of a Children, Youth, and Families Administration, as well as the establishment of a federal child care program. He sponsored legislation to increase social security funds for families with blind, aged, and disabled dependents.

In 1992, Governor Rafael Hernández Colón appointed him to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Fuster resigned from his Resident Commissioner position on March 4, 1992 to take an appointment as associate justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. He took the oath of office on March 4, 1992 after confirmation by the Senate, serving on the Court until his death.

Fuster was affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico and the Democratic Party of the United States.

Death

Fuster died during the early hours of December 3, 2007 from cardiac arrest. He was buried at Buxeda Memorial Park Cemetery in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His death left the Supreme Court in an unprecedented position with two seats vacant.

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of Hispanic Americans in the United States Congress
• Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico
• Federico Hernández Denton, Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court
• Francisco Rebollo, Associate Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court
• Liana Fiol Matta, Associate Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court

References

1. El Nuevo Día, Muere Juez Fuster; December 3, 2007. Archived December 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
2. El Vocero, Muere Juez del Supremo Jaime Fuster; December 3, 2007.

External links

• United States Congress. "Jaime Fuster (id: F000435)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Hispanic Americans in Congress: Jaime Fuster
• Supreme Court of Puerto Rico: "Conservative and Slow" (Conservador y lento) - Primera Hora; Oscar J. Serrano; April 2, 2007
• Appearances on C-SPAN