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Miriam Naveira

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Miriam Naveira
14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
In office
2003–2004
Appointed bySila Calderón
Preceded byJosé Andreu García
Succeeded byFederico Hernández Denton
Associate Justice to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
In office
1985–2003
Appointed byRafael Hernández Colón
Preceded byCarlos Irrizarry Yunqué
Succeeded byLiana Fiol Matta
Personal details
Born(1934-07-28)July 28, 1934
Santurce, Puerto Rico
DiedApril 15, 2018(2018-04-15) (aged 83)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
EducationCollege of Mount Saint Vincent (BA)
University of Puerto Rico School of Law (JD)
Columbia Law School (LL.M.)

Miriam Naveira de Merly (July 28, 1934 – April 15, 2018) was a Puerto Rican jurist who served in the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico from 1985 to 2004.[1] Naveira was the first woman to serve on the court as well as the first female chief justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (2003–2004). She was also the first female to serve as the Solicitor General of Puerto Rico (1973-1976).[2]

Biography

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Naveira was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, in 1934. She obtained her bachelor's degree in chemistry from the College of Mount Saint Vincent and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law.

Naveira was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1985 by Governor Rafael Hernández Colón, becoming the first woman on that court. During her tenure, Naveira was known as a pragmatic and moderate justice.

After the retirement of Chief Justice José Andreu García in 2003, Governor Sila Calderón elevated Justice Naveira to the post of Chief Justice.[3] However, her tenure lasted only seven months since the Constitution of Puerto Rico states that Supreme Court Justices must retire at the age of seventy. Chief Justice Miriam Naveira retired in July 2004.[3] She was succeeded by her colleague Federico Hernández Denton.[1]

Her daughter Miriam Rodón Naveira is an environmental scientist working at the federal government of the United States which was awarded a Silver Medal for Superior Service and a Suzanne Olive EEO and Diversity Award both by the EPA.[4] She was also the first Hispanic woman to serve as branch chief of the EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) and later the first Hispanic woman to become deputy director of NERL's Environmental Sciences Division.[5]

Miriam Naveira died on April 15, 2018, at the age of 83. She was buried at the Puerto Rico Memorial Cemetery in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Puerto Rico Swears In New Chief Justice Of Supreme Court". Puerto Rico Herald. 2004-08-10. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  2. ^ Cesario, Angelica (2019-10-15). "The Firsts: Latinx Attorneys Who Paved the Way for Generations to Come - Page 5 of 6 - Above the Law CLEAbove the Law CLE". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  3. ^ a b "Naveira Becomes First Female Chief Justice Of The Supreme Court". Puerto Rico Herald. 2003-12-30. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  4. ^ NASA Dryden funding supports Valley Fever research. Beth Hagenauer. Antelope Valley Times. 18 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Miriam Rodon-Naveira, Ph.D.: NASA Dryden Flight Research Center". Latina Women of NASA. April 2009. Archived from the original on 2016-01-27.
Legal offices
Preceded by Chief Justice of Puerto Rico
2003–2004
Succeeded by
Preceded by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
1985–2003
Succeeded by