Luisa Estella Morales
Chief Justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
In office
7 March 2007 – May 2013
Preceded byOmar Mora Diaz
Succeeded byGladys Gutiérrez
Personal details
Born (1945-10-01) 1 October 1945
Venezuela
EducationUniversity of Carabobo

Luisa Estella Morales Lamuño (born 1 October 1945) is a Venezuelan jurist who is a member and former chief justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, Venezuela's highest court of law.[1]

Education and appointment

Morales Lamuño studied law at the University of Carabobo. She was appointed to the Supreme Tribunal by the National Assembly on December 13, 2004 for a period of 12 years. Appointed by majority 29 of 32 votes from the Plenary of the Supreme Tribunal, President of the high court on February 7, 2007 and ratified for the position for 2009-2011 and 2011-2013.

Postponing Chavez’s inauguration

On January 9, 2013 Morales Lamuño appeared on national television to read the decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal, ruling that President Hugo Chávez's inauguration could be postponed. The court also ruled that in the meantime, Chavez's handpicked vice president, Nicolás Maduro, should run the government.[2][3]

On December 20, 2012 Morales Lamuño had told the media: "Given the situation--not the new president, because he is not new, it’s the same president and this is a very important fact, which is the continuity arising from the reelection of the president--the Constitutional Court of course will expect any matter that has to do with its competence to be presented and answer to it promptly."[4]

The judgment started wide debate on the legitimacy of Venezuelan government after January 10, 2013. While the official position insists on the continuity of the mandate, political opposition states the ruling was clearly unconstitutional.[5][6]

Code of Ethics of the Judge

On May 7, 2012, the last day Estella Morales was in charge of the presidency of the Supreme Tribunal, the court ruled a sentence (Nr. 516) that dismantles judicial disciplinary jurisdiction (the instances of investigation, prosecution and punishment of wrongdoing by judges in the exercise of their duties) and opens the possibility of a flood of claims by judges dismissed under the former Code of Ethics of the Judge.[7]

Personal life

Luisa Estella Morales Lamuño is Jesus Ramon Acosta Cazaubon's widow.[8] Their daughter Leticia Morales Acosta was a legal consultant to the Executive Directorate of the Judiciary.

References

  1. ↑ Castillo, Mariano (January 10, 2013). "Venezuelan court says inauguration day delay for Chavez is OK". CNN. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  2. ↑ "TSJ: No es necesaria la toma de posesión del presidente". Reporte Activo.
  3. ↑ TSJ ratifica la decisión de la Asamblea Nacional la patilla. 9 January 2013.
  4. ↑ http://www.reporteactivo.com/nacionales/2013/01/07/futuro-del-pais-dependera-de-la-interpretacion-del-articulo-231.aspx%5B%5D
  5. ↑ Venezuelan lawmaker: ‘Cuba making decisions for Venezuela’ Amanpour Blogs CNN. 9 January 2013.
  6. ↑ Hugo Chavez ceremony delay fuels Venezuela arguments BBC News. 9 January 2013.
  7. ↑ TSJ suspende normas del Código de Ética del Juez El Nacional. 11 May 2013
  8. ↑ Falleció esposo de la Presidenta del TSJ Archived 2012-07-11 at the Wayback Machine El Tiempo. 6 July 2012.
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