Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (Spanish: Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN) is the highest federal court in the United Mexican States. It consists of a President of the Supreme Court (Chief Justice) and ten Ministers (Associate Justices) who are confirmed by the Senate from a list proposed by the President of the Republic.

Justices of the SCJN serve for fifteen years and are not eligible to serve a second term. From among their number, the justices elect the President of the Court to serve a four-year period; a given justice may serve more than one term as president, but not in consecutive periods.

Supreme Court building

The court itself is located just off the main plaza of Mexico City on the corners of Pino Suarez and Carranza Streets. It was built between 1935 and 1941 by Antonio Muñoz Garcia. Prior to the Conquest, this site was reserved for the ritual known as "Dance of the Flyers" which is still practice today in Papantla. Hernan Cortes claimed the property after the Conquest and its ownership was in dispute during much of the colonial period with Cortes' heirs, the city government and the Royal and Pontifical University all claiming rights. It was also the site of a very large market known as El Volador.^[1]

The interior of the building contains four panels painted in 1941 by José Clemente Orozco, two of which are named "The Social Labor Movement" and "National Wealth." There is also one mural done by American artist George Biddle entitled "War and Peace" at the entrance to the library.^[1] The building also contains a mural by Rafael Cauduro, which "graphically illustrates the Gran Guignol of Mexican torture",^[2] and includes a depiction of the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre as well as "a cut-away of a prison, perhaps the infamous Lecumberri Black Palace where the student leaders who escaped death were jailed."^[2]

While this building is still the main home of the Court, an alternative site on Avenida Revolución was established in 2002.^[3]

Current composition

Chief Justices

The following have held the position of Chief Justice ("Presidente de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación") under the 1917 Constitution:

• 1917–1919: Enrique M. del Río
• 1919–1920: Ernesto Garza Pérez
• 1920–1922: Enrique Moreno Pérez
• 1922–1923: Gustavo A. Vicencio
• 1923–1924: Francisco Modesto Ramírez
• 1924–1925: Gustavo A. Vicencio
• 1925–1927: Manuel Padilla
• 1927–1928: Francisco Díaz Lombardo
• 1928–1929: Jesús Guzmán Vaca
• 1929–1933: Julio García
• 1934: Francisco H. Ruiz
• 1934–1940: Daniel V. Valencia
• 1941–1951: Salvador Urbina
• 1952: Roque Estrada Reynoso
• 1953: Hilario Medina
• 1954: José María Ortiz Tirado
• 1955–1956: Vicente Santos Guajardo
• 1957: Hilario Medina
• 1958: Agapito Pozo Balbás
• 1959–1964: Alfonso Guzmán Neyra
• 1965–1968: Agapito Pozo Balbás
• 1969–1973: Alfonso Guzmán Neyra
• 1974–1975: Euquerio Guerrero López
• 1976: Mario G. Rebolledo Fernández
• 1977–1981: Agustín Téllez Cruces
• 1982: Mario G. Rebolledo Fernández
• 1982–1985: Jorge Iñárritu y Ramírez de Aguilar
• 1986–1990: Carlos del Río Rodríguez
• 1991–1994: Ulises Schmill Ordóñez
• 1995–1999: José Vicente Aguinaco Alemán
• 1999–2002: Genaro David Góngora Pimentel
• 2002–2006: Mariano Azuela Güitrón
• 2007–2011: Guillermo Ortiz Mayagoitia
• 2011-incumbent: Juan N. Silva Meza

Associate Justices (Minister)

The following have held the position of Associate Justice ("Ministro de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación") under the 1917 Constitution:

• 1917–1919:
• 1919–1920:
• 1920–1922:
• 1922–1923:
• 1923–1924:
• 1924–1925:
• 1925–1927:
• 1927–1928:

References

External links

• (Spanish) Official site