Supreme Court of Colombia
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Court of Colombia in Bogotá
is the highest judicial body in civil and penal matters and issues of criminal and civil procedure
in Colombia
. The Supreme Court of Colombia is not the highest authority in regards to the interpretation of administrative law, constitutional law, and the administration of the judiciary.
The court
consists of twenty three magistrates, elected by the same institution in list conformed by the Superior Council of the Judiciary
for individual terms of eight years. The court meets at the Palace of Justice in the Bolívar Square
of Bogota
.
After the Colombian first declaration of independence
from Spain
on July 20, 1810, a number of independent States like Tunja
(1811), Antioquia (1812), Cartagena de Indias (1812) and Cundinamarca
(1812) were established. Each State had its own body in charge of the administration of justice. Later, when these States established the Provincias Unidad de la Nueva Granada (United Provinces of New Granada
), on September 23, 1814, the Alto Tribunal de Justicia (High Tribunal of Justice) was established. In 1819, the Republic of Colombia (the Gran Colombia
) was born. A Court was created according to the provisions its Constitution of August 30, 1821, named Alta Corte de Justicia (High Court of Justice). In 1830, the Gran Colombia was dissolved and the Republic of New Granada
was formed. As per the provisions of its Constitution of February 29, 1832, the Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court of Justice) was established. On May 20, 1853, it became the Corte Suprema de la Nación (Supreme Court of the Nation). In 1858, the Grenadine Confederation was founded. On adoption of its Constitution of May 22, 1858, the Courte Suprema (Supreme Court) became the body in charge of the administration of justice. In 1863, the Grenadine Confederation was replaced by the Estados Unidos de Colombia (United States of Colombia
). On adoption of its Constitution of May 8, 1863, the Corte Suprema Federal (Supreme Federal Court) was established. Finally, after the establishment of the República de Colombia (Republic of Colombia) and on adoption of its Constitution of August 4, 1886
, the body was renamed as the present, the Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court of Justice) on 3 September, 1886. Its first President was Rito Antonio Martínez.
In 1985 in the Palace of Justice siege
, members of the M-19
guerrilla group took over the Palace of Justice, and held the Supreme Court hostage
, intending to put President
Belisario Betancur
on trial. Hours later, after a military raid, the incident left all the rebels and 11 of the 25 Supreme Court Justices dead.
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
is the highest judicial body in civil and penal matters and issues of criminal and civil procedure
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. The Supreme Court of Colombia is not the highest authority in regards to the interpretation of administrative law, constitutional law, and the administration of the judiciary.
The court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
consists of twenty three magistrates, elected by the same institution in list conformed by the Superior Council of the Judiciary
Superior Council of the Judiciary
The Superior Council of The Judiciary of Colombia is the highest court of appeal on matters of the administration of justice. Organically the Superior Council of the Judiciary is divided in two rooms, diverse in their origin and functions, this way the jurisdictional one disciplinary that is in...
for individual terms of eight years. The court meets at the Palace of Justice in the Bolívar Square
Bolívar Square
The Bolívar Square is located in the heart of the historical area of Bogotá. It has a statue of Simón Bolívar sculpted in 1846 by the Italian Pietro Tenerani, which was the first ever public monument in the city...
of Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
.
History
Colombian Declaration of Independence
Colombian Declaration of Independence refers to the historic events which happened on July 20,1810, in Santa Fe de Bogota, at the time the Viceroyalty of New Granada seceded and the related events around this date that defined the uprising of the Republic of Colombia.- Background :An important...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on July 20, 1810, a number of independent States like Tunja
Tunja
Tunja is a city and municipality located in the central part of Colombia, in the region of "Alto Chicomocha". As of the 2005 Census it had 152,419 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Department of Boyacá and part of the subregion of the Central Boyacá Province. It is approximately 145 km...
(1811), Antioquia (1812), Cartagena de Indias (1812) and Cundinamarca
Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca
The Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca was a rebel state in modern Colombia between 1810 and 1815 during the Patria Boba period at the beginning of the Latin American wars of independence...
(1812) were established. Each State had its own body in charge of the administration of justice. Later, when these States established the Provincias Unidad de la Nueva Granada (United Provinces of New Granada
United Provinces of New Granada
The United Provinces of New Granada was a country in South America from 1811 to 1816, a period known in Colombian history as the Patria Boba. It was formed from areas of the New Kingdom of Granada. The government was a federation with a parliamentary system, consisting of a weak executive and...
), on September 23, 1814, the Alto Tribunal de Justicia (High Tribunal of Justice) was established. In 1819, the Republic of Colombia (the Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
) was born. A Court was created according to the provisions its Constitution of August 30, 1821, named Alta Corte de Justicia (High Court of Justice). In 1830, the Gran Colombia was dissolved and the Republic of New Granada
Republic of New Granada
The Republic of New Granada was a centralist republic consisting primarily of present-day Colombia and Panama with smaller portions of today's Ecuador, and Venezuela. It was created after the dissolution in 1830 of Gran Colombia. It was later abolished in 1858 when the Granadine Confederation was...
was formed. As per the provisions of its Constitution of February 29, 1832, the Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court of Justice) was established. On May 20, 1853, it became the Corte Suprema de la Nación (Supreme Court of the Nation). In 1858, the Grenadine Confederation was founded. On adoption of its Constitution of May 22, 1858, the Courte Suprema (Supreme Court) became the body in charge of the administration of justice. In 1863, the Grenadine Confederation was replaced by the Estados Unidos de Colombia (United States of Colombia
United States of Colombia
The United States of Colombia was the name adopted in 1861 through the Rionegro Constitution for the nation which had been known as the Republic of New Granada since the dissolution of the federation of Gran Colombia in 1830-1831....
). On adoption of its Constitution of May 8, 1863, the Corte Suprema Federal (Supreme Federal Court) was established. Finally, after the establishment of the República de Colombia (Republic of Colombia) and on adoption of its Constitution of August 4, 1886
Colombian Constitution of 1886
The Colombian Constitution of 1886 was the constitution that created the Republic of Colombia. Before 1886, the country was called United States of Colombia. The coalition of moderate Liberals and Conservatives that ended the liberal hegemony and placed Rafael Nuñez in power repealed the...
, the body was renamed as the present, the Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court of Justice) on 3 September, 1886. Its first President was Rito Antonio Martínez.
In 1985 in the Palace of Justice siege
Palace of Justice siege
The Palace of Justice siege was a 1985 attack against the Supreme Court of Colombia, in which members of the M-19 guerrilla group took over the Palace of Justice in Bogotá, Colombia, and held the Supreme Court hostage, intending to hold a trial against President Belisario Betancur...
, members of the M-19
19th of April Movement
The 19th of April Movement or M-19, was a Colombian guerrilla movement. After its demobilization it became a political party, the M-19 Democratic Alliance , or AD/M-19.The M-19 traced its origins to the allegedly fraudulent presidential elections of 19 April 1970...
guerrilla group took over the Palace of Justice, and held the Supreme Court hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
, intending to put President
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
Belisario Betancur
Belisario Betancur
Belisario Betancur Cuartas is a Colombian statesman, who as a member of the Colombian Conservative Party was President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986.- Biographic data :...
on trial. Hours later, after a military raid, the incident left all the rebels and 11 of the 25 Supreme Court Justices dead.
Current Magistrates
- President: César Julio Valencia CopeteCésar Julio Valencia CopeteCésar Julio Valencia Copete is a Colombian lawyer and magistrate of the Supreme Court of Colombia. He is the former President of Supreme Court of Colombia.-Education:...
- Vice-president: Isaura Vargas Díaz
Civil and Agrarian Cassation Chamber
- President: Ruth Marina Díaz Rueda
-
- Jaime Alberto Arrubla Paucar
- César Julio Valencia CopeteCésar Julio Valencia CopeteCésar Julio Valencia Copete is a Colombian lawyer and magistrate of the Supreme Court of Colombia. He is the former President of Supreme Court of Colombia.-Education:...
- Carlos Ignacio Jaramillo
- Edgardo Villamil Portilla
- Pedro Octavio Munar Cadena
- Manuel Ardila Velásquez
Labor Cassation Chamber
President: Gustavo Jose Gnecco Mendoza-
- Elsy del Pilar CuelloElsy del Pilar CuelloElsy del Pilar Cuello Calderón is a Supreme Court Judge from the Corte Suprema de Justicia of Colombia.Elsy del Pilar Cuello Calderón is a lawyer graduated from the Universidad Santo Tomás in Bogotá, Colombia. Since 1990 she's been a Court Judge. She's part of Labor Cassation Chamber of the...
- Isaura Vargas Diaz
- Luis Javier Osorio López
- Francisco Javier Ricaurte
- Eduardo Adolfo López Villega
- Camilo Humberto Tarquino Gallego
- Elsy del Pilar Cuello
Penal Cassation Chamber
President: Alfredo Gómez Quintero-
- Maria del Rosario González
- Mauro Solarte Portilla
- Sigifredo de Jesús Espinosa Pérez
- Álvaro Orlando Pérez Pinzón
- Javier Zapata Ortiz
- Julio Enrique Socha Salamanca
- Jorge Quintero Milanes
- Yesid Ramírez Bastidas