# List of presidents of the Supreme Court of Spain

The president of the Supreme Court is the head of the Supreme Court of Spain, an office created in 1812. Since 1980, the president of the Supreme Court is also the president of the General Council of the Judiciary, the governing body of the Judiciary of Spain. As such, the president is the defined in Section 105 of the Judiciary Organic Act as the "first judicial authority of the Nation" and "represents the Judicial Power and its governing body". That precept also establishes that, the president will hold those "category and honors" corresponding to the holder of one of the three powers of the State.

## List of presidents of the Supreme Court

Since its creation in 1812, 48 people have served as president in 49 presidencies, and one as acting president. The first president was Ramón Posada y Soto who served during the first period of live of the institution from 1812 to 1814. The shortest presidency was that of José Hevia y Noriega who served 113 days and the longest was that of José Castán Tobeñas who served 22 years and 81 days. Lorenzo Arrazola y García has been the only person to serve in two different terms, the first between 1851 and 1853 and the second time from 1856 to 1864.
Eight of them have also held the position of president of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ). The first holder was Federico Carlos Sainz de Robles y Rodríguez from 1980 to 1986. Carlos Lesmes was the longest-serving president of the CGPJ, serving for 8 years, 305 days, four of them ad interim. After his resignation, justice Francisco Marín Castán assummed the office ad interim, but not the position of president of the CGPJ.
The current and 49th president of the Supreme Court, as well as 9th president of the General Council of the Judiciary is Isabel Perelló, since September 2024.
| President | President | Tenure | Tenure length | Prior/other position | Head of State |
| 1 | Ramón Posada y Soto (1746–1815) | 12 June 1812 – 4 May 1814 | 1 year, 326 days | Indies Councilor (1810–1812) | Ferdinand VII |
| Ferdinand VII ||||||
| 2 | Antonio Cano Manuel y Ramírez de Arellano (1774–1838) | 27 May 1820 – 27 May 1823 | 3 years, 0 days | State Councilor (1820) | Ferdinand VII |
| Office abolished between 1823 and 1834 |||||||
| 3 | José Hevia y Noriega (1776–1834) | 1 April 1834 – 23 July 1834 (died) | 113 days | State Councilor (1833–1834) | Isabella II |
| 4 | Vicente Cano Manuel y Ramírez de Arellano (1774–1838) | 29 July 1834 – 9 January 1838 (died) | 3 years, 164 days | Minister of Grace and Justice (1821–1822) | Isabella II |
| 5 | Francisco Fernández del Pino Burgos-León (1768–1843) | 10 February 1838 – 2 September 1840 | 2 years, 205 days | President of the Finance Supreme Court (1834–1835) | Isabella II |
| 6 | José María Calatrava y Peinado (1781–1846) | 31 October 1840 – 29 July 1843 | 2 years, 271 days | 92nd President of the Congress of Deputies (1839) | Isabella II |
| 7 | Nicolás María Garelli (1777–1850) | 15 December 1843 – 12 February 1850 (died) | 6 years, 59 days | Senator for Valencia (1843) | Isabella II |
| 8 | José María Manescau (1772–1850) | 22 February 1850 – 22 December 1850 (died) | 303 days | Senator for life (1849–1850) | Isabella II |
| 9 | Lorenzo Arrazola y García (1795–1873) | 23 January 1851 – 9 April 1853 | 2 years, 76 days | Minister of Grace and Justice (1849–1851) | Isabella II |
| 10 | Francisco Olabarrieta y Urquijo (1784–1858) | 3 June 1853 – 8 December 1854 | 1 year, 188 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1843–1853) | Isabella II |
| 11 | José Alonso Ruiz de Conejares (1781–1855) | 8 December 1854 – 13 April 1855 (died) | 126 days | Minister of Grace and Justice (1854) | Isabella II |
| 12 | Claudio Antón de Luzuriaga (1792–1874) | 14 November 1855 – 17 October 1856 | 338 days | Minister of State (1854–1855) | Isabella II |
| 13 | Lorenzo Arrazola y García (1795–1873) | 17 October 1856 – 16 September 1864 | 7 years, 335 days | 8th President of the Supreme Court (1851–1853) | Isabella II |
| 14 | Ramón López Vázquez (1807–1868) | 30 September 1864 – 13 October 1868 (retired) | 4 years, 15 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1856–1864) | Isabella II |
| 15 | Joaquín Aguirre de la Peña (1807–1869) | 13 October 1868 – 19 July 1869 (died) | 279 days | Chairman of the Revolutionary Superior Junta (1868) | Francisco Serrano (regent) |
| 16 | Pedro Gómez de la Serna (1806–1871) | 20 July 1869 – 12 December 1871 (died) | 2 years, 145 days | 7th Attorney General (1854–1856) | Francisco Serrano (regent) |
| 16 | Pedro Gómez de la Serna (1806–1871) | 20 July 1869 – 12 December 1871 (died) | 2 years, 145 days | 7th Attorney General (1854–1856) | Amadeo I |
| 17 | Cirilo Álvarez Martínez de Velasco (1807–1878) | 8 January 1872 – 6 November 1878 (died) | 6 years, 302 days | Senator for Madrid (1872) | Amadeo I |
| 17 | Cirilo Álvarez Martínez de Velasco (1807–1878) | 8 January 1872 – 6 November 1878 (died) | 6 years, 302 days | Senator for Madrid (1872) | See presidents of the First Republic |
| 18 | Fernando Calderón Collantes (1811–1890) | 6 January 1879 – 23 July 1882 (retired) | 3 years, 198 days | Minister of Grace and Justice (1877–1879) | See presidents of the First Republic |
| 18 | Fernando Calderón Collantes (1811–1890) | 6 January 1879 – 23 July 1882 (retired) | 3 years, 198 days | Minister of Grace and Justice (1877–1879) | Alfonso XII |
| 19 | Eduardo Alonso Colmenares (1820–1888) | 23 July 1882 – 31 March 1888 (died) | 5 years, 252 days | Senator for life (1877–1882) | Alfonso XII |
| 19 | Eduardo Alonso Colmenares (1820–1888) | 23 July 1882 – 31 March 1888 (died) | 5 years, 252 days | Senator for life (1877–1882) | Alfonso XIII |
| 20 | Eugenio Montero Ríos (1832–1914) | 7 May 1888 – 10 September 1888 | 126 days | Minister of Development (1885–1886) | Alfonso XIII |
| 21 | Hilario Igón y del Royst (?–1895) | 8 July 1889 – 16 July 1892 (retired) | 3 years, 8 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1875–1889) | Alfonso XIII |
| 22 | Emilio Bravo y Romero (1827–1893) | 29 July 1892 – 24 January 1893 (died) | 179 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1874–1892) | Alfonso XIII |
| 23 | Juan Francisco Bustamante (1824–1898) | 30 March 1894 – 10 September 1895 (retired) | 2 years, 164 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1875–1889) | Alfonso XIII |
| 24 | Santos Isasa y Valseca (1822–1907) | 10 September 1895 – 5 June 1901 (resigned) | 5 years, 268 days | 17th Governor of the Bank of Spain (1895) | Alfonso XIII |
| 25 | Eduardo Martínez del Campo y Acosta (1840–1911) | 5 June 1901 – 21 October 1909 (resigned) | 8 years, 138 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1891–1901) | Alfonso XIII |
| 26 | José Aldecoa y Villasante (1838–1917) | 17 January 1910 – 19 June 1917 (died) | 8 years, 153 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1883–1910) | Alfonso XIII |
| 27 | José Ciudad Aurioles (1849–1924) | 15 November 1917 – 5 March 1923 (retired) | 5 years, 108 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1903–1917) | Alfonso XIII |
| 28 | Buenaventura Muñoz Rodríguez (1853–1925) | 5 March 1923 – 7 February 1924 (retired) | 339 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1910–1923) | Alfonso XIII |
| 29 | Andrés Tornos y Alonso (1854–1926) | 7 February 1924 – 30 November 1926 (died) | 3 years, 296 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1912–1924) | Alfonso XIII |
| 30 | Rafael Bermejo Ceballos-Escalera (1857–1929) | 7 December 1926 – 28 January 1929 (died) | 2 years, 52 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1910–1926) | Alfonso XIII |
| 31 | Francisco García Goyena y Alzugaray (1859–1935) | 4 February 1929 – 25 April 1930 (retired) | 1 year, 80 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1904–1929) | Alfonso XIII |
| 32 | Antonio Marín de la Bárcena (1858–1930) | 25 April 1930 – 6 October 1930 (died) | 164 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1909–1930) | Alfonso XIII |
| 33 | José María Ortega Morejón (1860–1948) | 23 October 1930 – 20 April 1931 (retired) | 179 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1918–1930) | Alfonso XIII |
| 34 | Diego Medina y García (1866–1942) | 6 May 1931 – 21 August 1936 (retired) | 5 years, 107 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1930–1931) | See presidents of the Second Republic |
| 35 | Mariano Gómez González (1883–1951) | 21 August 1936 – 1 April 1939 (exiled) | 2 years, 223 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1932–1936) | See presidents of the Second Republic |
| 36 | Felipe Clemente de Diego y Gutiérrez (1866–1945) | 27 August 1938 – 15 August 1945 (died) | 6 years, 353 days | Member of the General Codification Commission (1938) | Francisco Franco |
| 37 | José Castán Tobeñas (1889–1969) | 12 September 1945 – 2 December 1967 | 22 years, 81 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1934–1945) | Francisco Franco |
| 38 | Francisco Ruiz-Jarabo (1901–1990) | 12 January 1968 – 12 June 1973 | 5 years, 151 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1944–1945) | Francisco Franco |
| 39 | Valentín Silva Melero (1905–1982) | 13 July 1973 – 4 August 1977 | 4 years, 22 days | Member of Parliament (1949–1973) | Francisco Franco |
| 39 | Valentín Silva Melero (1905–1982) | 13 July 1973 – 4 August 1977 | 4 years, 22 days | Member of Parliament (1949–1973) | Juan Carlos I |
| 40 | Ángel Escudero del Corral (1916–2001) | 4 August 1977 – 24 October 1980 | 3 years, 81 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1967–1977) | Juan Carlos I |
| Presidents of the Supreme Court and of the General Council of the Judiciary (1980–present) |||||||
| 41 | Federico Carlos Sainz de Robles y Rodríguez (1927–2005) | 24 October 1980 – 29 October 1985 | 5 years, 5 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1979–1980) | Juan Carlos I |
| 42 | Antonio Hernández Gil (1915–1994) | 25 October 1985 – 8 November 1990 | 5 years, 14 days | President of the Council of State (1982–1985) | Juan Carlos I |
| 43 | Pascual Sala (1935–) | 8 November 1990 – 25 July 1996 | 5 years, 261 days | President of the Court of Auditors (1988–1990) | Juan Carlos I |
| 44 | Javier Delgado Barrio (1932–) | 25 July 1996 – 8 November 2001 | 5 years, 126 days | Magistrate of the Constitutional Court (1995–1996) | Juan Carlos I |
| 45 | Francisco José Hernando (1936–2013) | 8 November 2001 – 26 September 2008 | 6 years, 323 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1986–2001) | Juan Carlos I |
| 46 | Carlos Dívar (1941–2017) | 26 September 2008 – 30 June 2012 (resigned) | 3 years, 278 days | 7th President of the National Court (2001–2008) | Juan Carlos I |
| 47 | Gonzalo Moliner (1944–) | 21 July 2012 – 11 December 2013 | 1 year, 143 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (1998–2008) | Juan Carlos I |
| 48 | Carlos Lesmes (1958–) | 11 December 2013 – 12 October 2022 | 8 years, 305 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (2010–2013) | Juan Carlos I |
| 48 | Carlos Lesmes (1958–) | 11 December 2013 – 12 October 2022 | 8 years, 305 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (2010–2013) | Felipe VI |
| - | Francisco Marín Castán (1952–) | 13 October 2022 – 4 September 2024 | 1 year, 327 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (2000–2022) | Felipe VI |
| 49 | Isabel Perelló (1958–) | 4 September 2024 – present | 125 days | Magistrate of the Supreme Court (2009–2024) | Felipe VI |