Luis A. Gonzalez is an American attorney who served as Presiding Justice of the
in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
from 2009–2015.
[Puerto Rican Bar Association]
/ref>Gonzalez Named Presiding Justice
/ref>
Early life and education
Gonzalez was born in Manati, Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
and raised in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, or Midtown West on real estate listings, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, ...
in a family of seven.
His father had been a carpenter in Puerto Rico and worked in a candy factory in New York. His mother was a homemaker. He graduated in 1968 from Eastern Mennonite University
Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) is a private Mennonite university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The university also operates a satellite campus in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which primarily caters to working adults. EMU is known for its Center f ...
with a B.A. in History and Social Science and earned a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School (CLS) is the Law school in the United States, law school of Columbia University, a Private university, private Ivy League university in New York City.
The school was founded in 1858 as the Columbia College Law School. The un ...
in 1975.
Legal career
From 1978 to 1980, Gonzalez was General Counsel for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
from 1978 to 1980. He served on the New York City Civil Court
The Civil Court of the City of New York is a civil court of the New York State Unified Court System in New York City that decides lawsuits involving claims for damages up to $25,000 and includes a small claims part (small claims court) for case ...
as Housing Court Judge from 1985 to 1986 and a Civil Court Judge from 1987 to 1992. He was a New York Supreme Court Justice, 12th Judicial District, from 1992 to 2002. He was designated a Justice for the Appellate Division, First Judicial Department by Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
George E. Pataki in 2002 and Presiding Justice of that court in 2009 by Governor David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson (born May 20, 1954) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 55th governor of New York, succeeding Eliot Spitzer, who resigned, and serving out nearly three years of Spitzer's term from March 2008 to ...
. He was the first person of Puerto Rican descent to hold the position of Presiding Justice.
See also
*List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists
This is a list of Hispanic/Latino Americans who are or were judges, magistrate judges, court commissioners, or administrative law judges. If known, it will be listed if a judge has served on multiple courts.
Other topics of interest
* List ...
Further reading
* Paterson, David (2020). ''Black, Blind, & in Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity''. New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Luis A.
Living people
New York (state) lawyers
Eastern Mennonite University alumni
Columbia Law School alumni
American people of Puerto Rican descent
Hispanic and Latino American judges
People from Manatí, Puerto Rico
Year of birth missing (living people)
Presiding justices of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department