Jaime Fuster
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
In office
March 4, 1992 – December 3, 2007
Succeeded byMildred Pabón
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
In office
January 3, 1985 – March 4, 1992
Preceded byBaltasar Corrada del Río
Succeeded byAntonio Colorado
Personal details
Born(1941-01-12)January 12, 1941
Guayama, Puerto Rico, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 2007(2007-12-03) (aged 66)
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, U.S.
Political partyPopular Democratic
Other political
affiliations		Democratic
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame (BA)
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (LLB)
Columbia Law School (LLM)

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.

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 School of Law 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 substance use. 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 Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. His death left the Supreme Court in an unprecedented position with two seats vacant.

See also

References

  • 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 Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  • Appearances on C-SPAN
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