José A. Fusté
Encyclopedia
Judge José Antonio Fusté (1943, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- ), a United States District Judge, is the former Chief Judge of the United States District Court
for the District of Puerto Rico
, a court which in recent years has seen the influx of three new, relatively young judges, including the court's second female member and current Chief Judge, former U.S. magistrate Aida Delgado, attorney Francisco Besosa
and forty-something former U.S. magistrate Gustavo Gelpí
.
Fusté received a B.B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico
in 1965, and an LL.B. from the University of Puerto Rico Law School
in 1968. He was in private practice in San Juan from 1968 to 1985, and began teaching Admiralty law
at the University of Puerto Rico in 1972.
On September 27, 1985, he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
vacated by Juan R. Torruella
. Fusté was confirmed by the United States Senate
on October 25, 1985, and received his commission on October 28, 1985. He has served as chief since 2004.
In October, 2007, Chief Judge Fusté appointed acting United States Attorney
Rosa Emilia Rodríguez
to a four-year extension of her term, until October 12, 2011, which can only be cut short if Rodríguez' formal nomination by President Bush as U.S. Attorney is voted down by the United States Senate or if Bush's successor appoints a new acting United States Attorney.
Judge Fusté's request to withdraw as a member of the Puerto Rico Bar Association
, a compulsory membership organization, was approved by the Supreme Court of 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...
- ), a United States District Judge, is the former Chief Judge of the United States District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
for the District of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, a court which in recent years has seen the influx of three new, relatively young judges, including the court's second female member and current Chief Judge, former U.S. magistrate Aida Delgado, attorney Francisco Besosa
Francisco Besosa
Francisco Augusto Besosa Stubbe, is a Federal district judge in the District of Puerto Rico.Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Besosa received an A.B. from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in 1971, then served for six years in the United States Army before receiving a J.D. from the...
and forty-something former U.S. magistrate Gustavo Gelpí
Gustavo Gelpí
Gustavo Antonio Gelpí, Jr. is the youngest United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico.-Early life and career:Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gelpí received a B.A. from Brandeis University in 1987 and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1991 . He was a law clerk to Juan M...
.
Fusté received a B.B.A. 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...
in 1965, and an LL.B. from the University of Puerto Rico Law School
University of Puerto Rico Law School
The University of Puerto Rico School of Law is a law school in Puerto Rico. It is one of the professional graduate schools of University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus and the only law school in the University of Puerto Rico System. It was founded in 1913 at its present site in Río Piedras,...
in 1968. He was in private practice in San Juan from 1968 to 1985, and began teaching Admiralty law
Admiralty law
Admiralty law is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. It is a body of both domestic law governing maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between private entities which operate vessels on the oceans...
at the University of Puerto Rico in 1972.
On September 27, 1985, he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
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 U.S. Courthouse located in the Hato Rey district of San Juan...
vacated by Juan R. Torruella
Juan R. Torruella
Juan R. Torruella is a Puerto Rican jurist, who currently serves as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He is the first and to date only Hispanic to serve in that court.-Education:...
. Fusté was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on October 25, 1985, and received his commission on October 28, 1985. He has served as chief since 2004.
In October, 2007, Chief Judge Fusté appointed acting United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
Rosa Emilia Rodríguez
Rosa Emilia Rodríguez
Rosa Emilia Rodríguez is the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. A career prosecutor, first in the Puerto Rico Department of Justice and subsequently in the U.S. Attorney's office in San Juan, she has been nominated by President George W. Bush as United States Attorney...
to a four-year extension of her term, until October 12, 2011, which can only be cut short if Rodríguez' formal nomination by President Bush as U.S. Attorney is voted down by the United States Senate or if Bush's successor appoints a new acting United States Attorney.
Judge Fusté's request to withdraw as a member 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...
, a compulsory membership organization, was approved by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
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...
.