María Cristina Chen Stanziola is the New President of the Panama Courts
María Cristina Chen Stanziola, new presiding magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice. Chen Stanziola was elected with seven votes in favor. According to Article 74 of the Judicial Code, the Supreme Court must elect its president and vice-president every two years.
The magistrates are choosing the vice-president magistrate of the Supreme Court, as well as the presidents of the chambers. Among the most talked-about nominations were those of magistrates Olmedo Arrocha and María Eugenia López. During the recess, another name that surfaced for the nomination was that of Carlos Vásquez, the current vice president of the Court, who was included among the candidates. The plenary session to elect the new president began at 3:30 pm, meaning they were in session for more than four hours. Their recess lasted 40 minutes. According to Article No. 74 of the Judicial Code, the Supreme Court must elect its president and vice president every two years, specifically in the month of January.
This rotation seeks to ensure that the leadership of the Judicial Branch is renewed periodically, preventing perpetuation in office and allowing for new administrative perspectives. By law, the new magistrates (in this case Gisela Agurto Ayala and Carlos Ernesto Villalobos Jaén) took office on January 2nd. The Supreme Court magistrates are María Eugenia López Arias, Carlos Alberto Vásquez Reyes, Olmedo Arrocha Osorio, Maribel Cornejo Batista, Ariadne Maribel García Angulo, María Cristina Chen Stanziola, Miriam Yadira Cheng Rosas, Gisela Agurto Ayala and Carlos Ernesto Villalobos Jaén. Who is the new presiding magistrate of the Supreme Court?
María Cristina Chen Stanziola holds a Doctorate in Law from the Catholic University of Santa María La Antigua, graduating Summa Cum Laude with the highest honors. She also holds a Doctorate in Administration, Finance, and Justice in the Social State from the University of Salamanca, graduating cum laude. She has a Master’s degree in Commercial Law from Santa María La Antigua University; a Master’s degree in Procedural Law from the University of Panama; a Specialist degree in Corporate Legal Advice from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain; a Specialist degree in Mediation from the University of Panama; and a Specialist degree in Higher Education Teaching from the Latin University of Panama.
She also holds a Specialization in Constitutional Justice and Judicial Protection of Rights from the University of Pisa, Italy. She is a lawyer, having graduated with the highest honors from the Latin University of Panama. Author and co-author of several works. Member of the Colombian-Panamanian Institute of Procedural Law, Member of the Ibero-American Institute of Procedural Law and of its current board of directors and former member of the Board of Directors of the National Bar Association of Panama. Magistrate of the Third Chamber of Administrative and Labor Litigation of the CSJ and tenured professor of Commercial Law at the University of Panama.
