# Supreme Court of Uruguay

The Supreme Court of Justice of Uruguay (Spanish: Suprema Corte de Justicia de Uruguay) is the highest court of law and last resort in the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. It serves as the highest appeals court, and appoints and oversees all other judges. Established on 28 October 1907, it is housed in the Palacio Piria, a masterpiece of eclectic architecture from 1917.
Article 235 of the Constitution establishes that the members of the Supreme Court of Justice must be at least 40 years old, be natural-born citizens (or be legal citizens with ten years exercise thereof and twenty-five years of residence in the country), and have been a lawyer for ten years, or as such to have been a member of the Judiciary, the Public or Fiscal Ministry for a period of eight years. Article 236 establishes shall be appointed by the General Assembly by a two-thirds vote of its full membership. Also, the term-length will be ten years and they may not be re-elected until after a period of five years following the previous term. Additionally, the position shall cease when they reach the age of seventy years. The presidency of the Court rotates annually among the justices according to the order of seniority in office.

## Powers and duties

According to Article 329 to the Supreme Court is assigned:
* Judge all violators of the Constitution, without exception; offenses against the law of nations and cases in admiralty; questions relating to treaties, pacts and conventions with other States; and take cognizance of cases involving diplomatic Representatives in such cases as are contemplated in international law.
* Exercise directive, corrective, advisory, and economic supervision over the Tribunals, Courts and other dependencies of the Judiciary.
* Prepare the draft budgets of the Judicial Power and transmit them in due course to the Executive Power for inclusion in the draft of the general budget, together with such modifications as may be deemed appropriate.
* With the approval of the Senate, or during its recess with that of the Permanent Commission, appoint the citizens who shall compose the Appellate Tribunals, such appointments to be contingent upon the following: a favorable vote of three of its members, for candidates who belong to the Judiciary or the Public Ministry; A favorable vote of four, for candidates not having the qualifications of the foregoing paragraph.
* Appoint the Lawyer Judges of all grades and classes, an absolute majority of all members of the Supreme Court being required in each case.
* Appoint the permanent Official Defenders and Justices of the Peace by absolute majority of all members of the Supreme Court of Justice.
* Appoint, promote, or remove, by a vote of four of its members, the employees of the Judicial Power, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 58 to 66, wherever pertinent.
* Perform such other duties as the law may prescribe.

## Membership

Ministers of the Supreme Court :
| Justice / birthdate and place | Start date / length of service | Succeeded |
| Justice / birthdate and place | Start date / length of service | Succeeded | (President 2025) John Pérez Brignani | 15 December 2020 4 years, 92 days | Turell Araquistain |
| Elena Martínez Rosso | 2 September 2015 9 years, 196 days | Ruibal |
| Doris Morales Martínez | 8 February 2022 3 years, 37 days | Tosi Boeri |
| Bernadette Minvielle Sánchez | 9 August 2017 7 years, 220 days | Pérez Manrique |
| Tabaré Sosa Aguirre | 11 September 2017 7 years, 128 days | Chediak |

### Former members

Ministers of the Supreme Court :
| Name | Period | Name | Period | Name | Period |
| Carlos Fein | 1907–1908 | Edenes A. Mallo | 1965–1974 | Felipe Hounie | 2015–2018 |
| Domingo González | 1907–1908 | Velarde Cerdeiras | 1967–1972 | Elena Martínez Rosso | 2015– |
| Luis Piera | 1907–1910 | Álvaro Méndez Modernell | 1972–1974 | Bernadette Minvielle Sánchez | 2015– |
| Ezequiel Garzón | 1907–1925 | Rómulo Vago | 1972–1978 | Eduardo Turell Araquistain | 2017–2020 |
| Benito Cuñarro | 1907–1928 | Carlos Dubra | 1972–1981 | Luis Tosi | 2018–2022 |
| Luis Romeu Burgues | 1908–1925 | Sabino Dante Sabini | 1973–1979 | Tabaré Sosa Aguirre | 2019– |
| Julio Bastos | 1908–1929 | Agustín de Vega | 1974–1976 | John Pérez Brignani | 2020– |
| Pablo de María | 1911–1914 | Francisco José Márcora | 1974–1978 | Doris Morales Martínez | 2022– |
| Abel Pinto | 1914–1934 | José Pedro Gatto de Souza | 1976–1984 | | |
| Ramón Montero Paullier | 1925–1928 | Enrique Frigerio | 1978–1983 | | |
| Miguel V. Martínez | 1925–1933 | Ramiro López Rivas | 1978–1984 | | |
| Teófilo Piñeiro | 1928–1931 | José Pedro Igoa | 1979–1981 | | |
| Juan A. Méndez del Marco | 1928–1939 | Erik Colombo | 1981–1982 | | |
| Julio Guani | 1929–1944 | Sara Fons de Genta | 1981–1985 | | |
| Pedro Aladio | 1931–1934 | Juan José Silva Delgado | 1983–1985 | | |
| Juan Aguirre y González | 1934–1940 | Rafael Addiego Bruno | 1984–1993 | | |
| Mariano Pereira Núñez | 1935–1938 | Jacinta Balbela | 1985–1989 | | |
| Blas Vidal | 1935–1938 | Nelson Nicoliello | 1985–1989 | | |
| Román Álvarez Cortés | 1938–1941 | Armando Tommasino | 1985–1992 | | |
| Zoilo Saldías | 1938–1942 | Nelson García Otero | 1985–1992 | | |
| Jaime Cibils Larravide | 1940–1942 | Jorge Pessano | 1989–1990 | | |
| Juan José Aguiar | 1940–1948 | Jorge Marabotto | 1990–2000 | | |
| Amaro Carve Urioste | 1941–1945 | Luis Torello | 1991–1998 | | |
| José B. Nattino | 1942–1947 | Raúl Alonso de Marco | 1992–2002 | | |
| Juan M. Minelli | 1942–1949 | Juan Mariño Chiarlone | 1993–2001 | | |
| Eduardo Artecona | 1944–1953 | Milton Cairoli | 1993–2003 | | |
| Enrique Armand Ugón | 1945–1952 | Gervasio Guillot [es] | 1998–2003 | | |
| Francisco Gamarra | 1947–1953 | Roberto Parga | 2000–2007 | | |
| Bolívar Baliñas | 1949–1950 | Leslie van Rompaey | 2002–2012 | | |
| Álvaro Macedo | 1949–1959 | Daniel Gutiérrez | 2002–2012 | | |
| Rivera Astigarraga | 1951–1961 | Pablo Troise | 2003–2006 | | |
| Manuel López Esponda | 1952–1962 | Hipólito Rodríguez Caorsi | 2003–2009 | | |
| Luis Alberto Bouza | 1954–1964 | Sara Bossio | 2006–2008 | | |
| Julio César De Gregorio | 1954–1964 | Julio César Chalar | 2012–2014 | | |
| Esteban Ruiz | 1962–1967 | Jorge Ruibal | 2007–2015 | | |
| Hamlet Reyes | 1962–1972 | Jorge Larrieux | 2008–2016 | | |
| Emilio Siemens Amaro | 1962–1972 | Jorge Chediak | 2009–2019 | | |
| Alberto Sánchez Rogé | 1965–1973 | Ricardo Pérez Manrique | 2012–2017 | | |