# Fernando Cruz Castro > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fernando_Cruz_Castro > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fernando_Cruz_Castro.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Cruz_Castro > Source revision: 1353198596 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Costa Rican lawyer and judge (born 1949) This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2023) Fernando Cruz Castro Cruz in 2020 53rd President of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica In office 1 August 2018 – 26 September 2022 Preceded by Carlos Chinchillia Sandí Succeeded by Orlando Aguirre Gómez Magistrate of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica Incumbent Assumed office 14 October 2004 Preceded by Carlos Arguedas Ramírez Personal details Born Fernando Cruz Castro (1949-01-25) 25 January 1949 (age 77) San José, Costa Rica Spouse Virginia Chacón Vega ​ ​ (m. 1979)​ Education University of Costa Rica (LLB) Complutense University of Madrid (LL.D.) Occupation Lawyer judge professor **Fernando Cruz Castro** is a Costa Rican lawyer and judge who served as the 53rd [President](/source/List_of_presidents_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_Costa_Rica) of the [Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica](/source/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](/source/University_of_Costa_Rica) and holds a Law Doctorate from the [Complutense University of Madrid](/source/Complutense_University_of_Madrid).[1] ## Career He began his career as an agent of Faults and Misdemeanor in [Alajuela](/source/Alajuela_Province) 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 [Constitutional Chamber](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Costa_Rica), replacing Carlos Arguedas Ramírez, who retired in 2004.[1] On 15 November 2012, 38 legislators of the [Legislative Assembly](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_Costa_Rica) did not re-elect Cruz, who received votes only from the benches of the [Citizen Action Party](/source/Citizens'_Action_Party_(Costa_Rica)), the [Accessibility Without Exclusion Party](/source/Accessibility_without_Exclusion) and independent deputies [José María Villalta](/source/Jos%C3%A9_Mar%C3%ADa_Villalta) and [Luis Fishman](/source/Luis_Fishman).[2] The then leader of the faction of the ruling [National Liberation Party](/source/National_Liberation_Party_(Costa_Rica)), Fabio Molina, stated that it was a call for attention to the Judiciary. The [opposition](/source/Opposition_(politics)) accused the ruling party of forging a political vendetta since Cruz had voted against the interests of the National Liberation Party, such as the [presidential re-election](/source/Re-election), the [Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement](/source/Dominican_Republic%E2%80%93Central_America_Free_Trade_Agreement) and the *Crucitas* mining case. His dismissal caused protests from citizens and staff of the [Judiciary](/source/Judiciary), as well as the condemnation of the [International Association of Judges](/source/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.[3][4] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pj_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pj_1-1) ["Don Fernando Cruz Castro"](https://www.poder-judicial.go.cr/salaconstitucional/index.php/pages/portfolio/item/21-cruz-castro-fdo). Poder-judicial.go.cr. Retrieved 2018-10-20. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Congreso saca a magistrado de Sala IV con histórico voto"](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). Archived from [the original](http://www.nacion.com/2012-11-16/ElPais/Congreso-saca-a-magistrado-de-Sala-IV-con-historico-voto.aspx) on May 10, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Sala IV anula acuerdo legislativo y restituye a magistrado Fernando Cruz"](http://www.nacion.com/2013-05-10/Portada/Sala-IV-anula-acuerdo-legislativo-y-restituye-a-magistrado-Cruz.aspx). [Archived](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) from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Sala Cuarta confirma reelección automática del Magistrado Fernando Cruz - Crhoy.com"](http://www.crhoy.com/sala-cuarta-confirma-reeleccion-automatica-del-magistrado-fernando-cruz/). Preceded by Carlos Chinchilla Sandí President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica 2018- Succeeded by --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fernando Cruz Castro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Cruz_Castro) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Cruz_Castro?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.