{{short description|Costa Rican lawyer and judge (born 1949)}} {{Update|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Fernando Cruz Castro | image = Fernando Cruz Castro Sala Constitucional 1.jpg | caption = Cruz in 2020 | office = 53rd [[List of presidents of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica|President of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica]] | predecessor = Carlos Chinchillia Sandí | successor = Orlando Aguirre Gómez | term_start = 1 August 2018 | term_end = 26 September 2022 | office1 = Magistrate of the [[Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica|Supreme Court of Costa Rica]] | term_start1 = 14 October 2004 | term_end1 = | preceded2 = Carlos Arguedas Ramírez | birth_name = Fernando Cruz Castro | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|1|25|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[San José, Costa Rica]] | spouse = {{marriage|Virginia Chacón Vega|1979}} | occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|judge|professor}} | education = [[University of Costa Rica]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])<br/>[[Complutense University of Madrid]] ([[Doctor of Laws|LL.D.]]) }} '''Fernando Cruz Castro''' is a Costa Rican lawyer and judge who served as the 53rd [[List of presidents of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica|President]] of the [[Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica]] from 2018 to 2022.
== Early life == He has a degree in Law from the [[University of Costa Rica]] and holds a Law Doctorate from the [[Complutense University of Madrid]].<ref name="pj">{{cite web|url=https://www.poder-judicial.go.cr/salaconstitucional/index.php/pages/portfolio/item/21-cruz-castro-fdo |title=Don Fernando Cruz Castro |publisher=Poder-judicial.go.cr |access-date=2018-10-20}}</ref>
== Career == He began his career as an agent of Faults and Misdemeanor in [[Alajuela Province|Alajuela]] in 1972, where he served as a public prosecutor, general prosecutor, general judge, superior judge and president of the Court of Criminal Cassation. He was appointed as magistrate of the [[Supreme Court of Costa Rica|Constitutional Chamber]], replacing Carlos Arguedas Ramírez, who retired in 2004.<ref name="pj" />
On 15 November 2012, 38 legislators of the [[Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica|Legislative Assembly]] did not re-elect Cruz, who received votes only from the benches of the [[Citizens' Action Party (Costa Rica)|Citizen Action Party]], the [[Accessibility without Exclusion|Accessibility Without Exclusion Party]] and independent deputies [[José María Villalta]] and [[Luis Fishman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nacion.com/2012-11-16/ElPais/Congreso-saca-a-magistrado-de-Sala-IV-con-historico-voto.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510014452/https://www.nacion.com/2012-11-16/ElPais/Congreso-saca-a-magistrado-de-Sala-IV-con-historico-voto.aspx|title=Congreso saca a magistrado de Sala IV con histórico voto|archive-date=May 10, 2013}}</ref> The then leader of the faction of the ruling [[National Liberation Party (Costa Rica)|National Liberation Party]], Fabio Molina, stated that it was a call for attention to the Judiciary. The [[Opposition (politics)|opposition]] accused the ruling party of forging a political vendetta since Cruz had voted against the interests of the National Liberation Party, such as the [[Re-election|presidential re-election]], the [[Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement]] and the ''Crucitas'' mining case. His dismissal caused protests from citizens and staff of the [[Judiciary]], as well as the condemnation of the [[International Association of Judges]]. Fishman filed an appeal before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court arguing that the vote was taken at the wrong time, resulting in Cruz' automatic re-election. The substitute magistrates who heard the appeal agreed and Cruz was reinstated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nacion.com/2013-05-10/Portada/Sala-IV-anula-acuerdo-legislativo-y-restituye-a-magistrado-Cruz.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607050656/http://www.nacion.com/2013-05-10/Portada/Sala-IV-anula-acuerdo-legislativo-y-restituye-a-magistrado-Cruz.aspx|archive-date=June 7, 2013|title=Sala IV anula acuerdo legislativo y restituye a magistrado Fernando Cruz|access-date=October 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crhoy.com/sala-cuarta-confirma-reeleccion-automatica-del-magistrado-fernando-cruz/|title=Sala Cuarta confirma reelección automática del Magistrado Fernando Cruz - Crhoy.com}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{S-start}} {{Succession box | title = President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica | years = 2018- | before = [[Carlos Chinchilla Sandí]] | after = }} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz Castro, Fernando}} [[Category:Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica judges]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:University of Costa Rica alumni]] [[Category:Complutense University of Madrid alumni]] [[Category:1949 births]]