Ellen Gracie Northfleet
Encyclopedia
Ellen Gracie Northfleet (born February 16, 1948, Rio de Janeiro
) is a Brazil
ian judge
of American descent. She is the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Brazil and the Court's first female
president.
On August 8, 2011 she retired from the Court, 7 years before the full extension a mandate that would go until 70 years old.
There was no formal announcement of her decision to retire and no formal cerimony at her departure. .
After her departure the Brazilian Association of Federal Judges published a public statement requesting that a representative of the Federal Magistrature be appointed for her position. Ellen Gracie was not a career magistrate since she did not write the exames to become a Federal Judge, as is the case for members of the Federal Magistrature. She was nominated for the position by then Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso
.
at the same university. Northfleet was also a Fulbright Scholar and assisted in the development of the United States
Law Library of Congress
Global legal information network
project.
Her public career began in 1971, clerking for the Rio Grande do Sul
State General Counsel. On November 7, 1973, she joined the Ministério Público Federal, where she remained in the capacity of Federal Prosecutor until 1989, when she first joined the Judiciary, becoming a judge in the Regional Federal Court of the 4th Region, an appeal Court.
Northfleet was appointed to the Supreme Federal Court on November 23, 2000, by then president of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cradoso. She was the first woman to be named to the court. On March 15, 2006 , after her appointment by the president, she was confirmed to head this court by a vote of its justices. She replaced Nelson Jobim
, who retired on March 30, 2006, presumably to run for office. She was 58 years of age at the time she was appointed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
In May 2006, she came very close to becoming the first acting female president, when Luis Inacio Lula da Silva was travelling abroad. According to Brazilian law, when the President is away from the country the next in succession becomes interim president. However, since elections were drawing near, anyone who occupied the post would be disqualified from running for office, so the vice-president, Jose Alencar
, and the speaker of the house, Aldo Rebelo
, the next in succession and who were considering running, also left Brazil. This would have made her the interim president for at least 10 hours. However, President of the Senate
Renan Calheiros
, who was not up for re-election and preceded her in the order of succession, stayed behind.
. The World Justice Project
works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law
for the development of communities of opportunity and equity.
Judge, Tribunal Regional Federal da 4a Regiao, Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Information from the US Library of Congress
.)
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
) is a Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of American descent. She is the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Brazil and the Court's first female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
president.
On August 8, 2011 she retired from the Court, 7 years before the full extension a mandate that would go until 70 years old.
There was no formal announcement of her decision to retire and no formal cerimony at her departure. .
After her departure the Brazilian Association of Federal Judges published a public statement requesting that a representative of the Federal Magistrature be appointed for her position. Ellen Gracie was not a career magistrate since she did not write the exames to become a Federal Judge, as is the case for members of the Federal Magistrature. She was nominated for the position by then Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Fernando Henrique Cardoso – also known by his initials FHC – was the 34th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil for two terms from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2002. He is an accomplished sociologist, professor and politician...
.
Education
She earned her LL.B from the Faculty of Law of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in 1970, and later pursued a graduate degree in Social AnthropologySocial anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
at the same university. Northfleet was also a Fulbright Scholar and assisted in the development of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Law Library of Congress
Law Library of Congress
The Law Library of the United States Congress was established in 1832.-Mission statement:From the Law Library of Congress website:"The mission of the Law Library of Congress is to provide research and legal information to the U.S. Congress as well as to U.S. Federal Courts and Executive Agencies,...
Global legal information network
Global Legal Information Network
The Global Legal Information Network is a cooperative, not-for-profit federation of government agencies or their designees that contribute national legal information to the GLIN database. It is an automated database of statutes, regulations and related material that originate from countries in the...
project.
Her public career began in 1971, clerking for the Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
State General Counsel. On November 7, 1973, she joined the Ministério Público Federal, where she remained in the capacity of Federal Prosecutor until 1989, when she first joined the Judiciary, becoming a judge in the Regional Federal Court of the 4th Region, an appeal Court.
Northfleet was appointed to the Supreme Federal Court on November 23, 2000, by then president of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cradoso. She was the first woman to be named to the court. On March 15, 2006 , after her appointment by the president, she was confirmed to head this court by a vote of its justices. She replaced Nelson Jobim
Nelson Jobim
Nelson Azevedo Jobim is a Brazilian jurist and politician. He served as the Minister of Defense of Brazil from 2007-2011. He is a distant relative of musician Antonio Carlos Jobim.-Early life:...
, who retired on March 30, 2006, presumably to run for office. She was 58 years of age at the time she was appointed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
In May 2006, she came very close to becoming the first acting female president, when Luis Inacio Lula da Silva was travelling abroad. According to Brazilian law, when the President is away from the country the next in succession becomes interim president. However, since elections were drawing near, anyone who occupied the post would be disqualified from running for office, so the vice-president, Jose Alencar
José Alencar
José Alencar Gomes da Silva , also known as José Alencar, the Strong, was a Brazilian businessman and politician, and the Vice President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010. In business since a young age, Alencar was a self-made multimillionaire, as the chief executive of Coteminas, after working as...
, and the speaker of the house, Aldo Rebelo
Aldo Rebelo
José Aldo Rebelo Figueiredo is a Brazilian politician, member of the Communist Party of Brazil and a federal deputy elected by the state of São Paulo...
, the next in succession and who were considering running, also left Brazil. This would have made her the interim president for at least 10 hours. However, President of the Senate
Senate of Brazil
The Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired by the United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
Renan Calheiros
Renan Calheiros
Renan Calheiros is a Brazilian politician and former President of the Senate of Brazil. He represents the state of Alagoas in the senate for the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party....
, who was not up for re-election and preceded her in the order of succession, stayed behind.
World Justice Project
Northfleet is on the Board of Directors the World Justice ProjectWorld Justice Project
-Mainstreaming:The World Justice Project holds action-oriented meetings with leaders from a range of fields to mainstream rule of law advancement and make strengthening the rule of law as fundamental to the thinking and work of all professionals as it is to lawyers...
. The World Justice Project
World Justice Project
-Mainstreaming:The World Justice Project holds action-oriented meetings with leaders from a range of fields to mainstream rule of law advancement and make strengthening the rule of law as fundamental to the thinking and work of all professionals as it is to lawyers...
works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
for the development of communities of opportunity and equity.
External links
Judge, Tribunal Regional Federal da 4a Regiao, Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Information from the US Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.)