Miriam Naveira

Miriam Naveira
14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
In office 2003–2004
Appointed by	Sila Calderón
Preceded by	José Andreu García
Succeeded by	Federico Hernández Denton
Associate Justice to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
In office 1985–2003
Appointed by	Rafael Hernández Colón
Preceded by	Carlos Irrizarry Yunqué
Succeeded by	Liana Fiol Matta
Personal details
Born	(1934-07-28)July 28, 1934 Santurce, Puerto Rico
Died	April 15, 2018(2018-04-15) (aged 83) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Education	College of Mount Saint Vincent (BA) University of Puerto Rico School of Law (JD) Columbia Law School (LL.M.)

Miriam Naveira de Merly (July 28, 1934 – April 15, 2018) was a Puerto Rican jurist who served in the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico from 1985 to 2004.^[1] Naveira was the first woman to serve on the court as well as the first female chief justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (2003–2004). She was also the first female to serve as the Solicitor General of Puerto Rico (1973-1976).^[2]

Biography

Naveira was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, in 1934. She obtained her bachelor's degree in chemistry from the College of Mount Saint Vincent and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law.

Naveira was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1985 by Governor Rafael Hernández Colón, becoming the first woman on that court. During her tenure, Naveira was known as a pragmatic and moderate justice.

After the retirement of Chief Justice José Andreu García in 2003, Governor Sila Calderón elevated Justice Naveira to the post of Chief Justice.^[3] However, her tenure lasted only seven months since the Constitution of Puerto Rico states that Supreme Court Justices must retire at the age of seventy. Chief Justice Miriam Naveira retired in July 2004.^[3] She was succeeded by her colleague Federico Hernández Denton.^[1]

Her daughter Miriam Rodón Naveira is an environmental scientist working at the federal government of the United States which was awarded a Silver Medal for Superior Service and a Suzanne Olive EEO and Diversity Award both by the EPA.^[4] She was also the first Hispanic woman to serve as branch chief of the EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) and later the first Hispanic woman to become deputy director of NERL's Environmental Sciences Division.^[5]

Miriam Naveira died on April 15, 2018, at the age of 83. She was buried at the Puerto Rico Memorial Cemetery in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

See also

• List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists
• List of Puerto Ricans
• History of women in Puerto Rico

References

1. "Puerto Rico Swears In New Chief Justice Of Supreme Court". Puerto Rico Herald. 2004-08-10. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
2. Cesario, Angelica (2019-10-15). "The Firsts: Latinx Attorneys Who Paved the Way for Generations to Come - Page 5 of 6 - Above the Law CLEAbove the Law CLE". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
3. "Naveira Becomes First Female Chief Justice Of The Supreme Court". Puerto Rico Herald. 2003-12-30. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
4. NASA Dryden funding supports Valley Fever research. Beth Hagenauer. Antelope Valley Times. 18 June 2013.
5. "Miriam Rodon-Naveira, Ph.D.: NASA Dryden Flight Research Center". Latina Women of NASA. April 2009. Archived from the original on 2016-01-27.

Legal offices
Preceded by José Andreu García	Chief Justice of Puerto Rico 2003–2004	Succeeded by Federico Hernández Denton
Preceded by Carlos Irrizarry Yunqué	Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico 1985–2003	Succeeded by Liana Fiol Matta