A group of 102 law professors from the University of Puerto Rico, the Interamerican University and the Pontifical Catholic University asked Governor Jenniffer González Colón on Thursday to veto Senate Bill 1096, arguing its provisions could violate the Constitution and affect the independence and administration of Puerto Rico’s judicial branch. They say the bill would alter the distribution of powers set by Article V, Section 7 of the Puerto Rico Constitution, which gives the Supreme Court the power to approve court administration rules and its chief justice the direction of that administration.
According to their joint statement, the bill would shift to the full Supreme Court decisions on appointing senior staff, organizing offices attached to the Office of Court Administration and the functions of its administrative director. The professors argue this would limit the chief justice’s powers and require a constitutional amendment, citing the 1958 Pueblo v.
Tribunal Superior and 2016 Torres Montalvo v. Gobernador ELA rulings. They warn that new layers of collegiate decisions could cause delays, duplicated functions and coordination problems, and take justices’ time from adjudication.
They also question the fiscal impact of converting municipal judge positions into superior court judge positions, saying cost estimates do not sufficiently cover support staff, technology, facilities and equipment, or identify funding sources. They call for an independent evaluation with judges, lawyers, academics and court users. Signatories include Efrén Rivera Ramos, Carlos Ramos González and Hiram Meléndez Juarbe. They acknowledged the need to modernize the courts but urged a veto.