José Conrado Hernández Santiago (February 19, 1849 – June 20, 1932) served as the second

chief justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico The chief justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico () is the Chief Justice, presiding officer of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. The post of chief justice was created by Article V of Constitution of Puerto Rico, Article V of the Constitution ...

from 1909 to 1922. Born in

Aibonito, Puerto Rico Aibonito () is a small mountain town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the Sierra de Cayey mountain range, north of Salinas; south of Barranquitas and Comerío; east of Coamo; and west of Cidra, and Cayey. Aibonito is spread over ...

, he obtained his bachelor's degree in San Juan in 1865, a degree in Civil and Canon Law at the

University of Salamanca The University of Salamanca () is a public university, public research university in Salamanca, Spain. Founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León, King Alfonso IX, it is the oldest university in the Hispanic world and the fourth oldest in the ...

in 1873, and a doctorate in theology. He began practicing law in 1874 and was a Judge of First Instance in

Aguadilla Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is s ...

and

Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Mayagüez (, ) is the ninth-largest Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico. It was founded as Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez (Township of Virgin of Candelaria, Our Lady of Candelaria), and is also ...

, and

Santiago, Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains t ...

. He served as a Magistrate in Pinar Del Río and Santa Clara, also in Cuba, as well as in Cibú and Manila, in the Philippines, before serving in Puerto Rico under Spanish rule. After the change of sovereignty to the United States, he was President of Puerto Rico's highest court in 1899 and was appointed Associate Justice of the new Supreme Court in 1900 by president

William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until Assassination of William McKinley, his assassination in 1901. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

, a post held until his appointment as Chief Justice by president

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) served as the 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the tenth chief justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930. He is the only person to have held both offices. ...

in 1909. Served as Chief Justice until his retirement in 1922. He died in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

on June 20, 1932, at the age of 83. He was buried at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in

. , -

Sources

*La Justicia en sus Manos, by Luis Rafael Rivera, 2007, 1849 births 1932 deaths 19th-century Puerto Rican people Associate justices of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico Burials at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery Chief justices of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico People from Aibonito, Puerto Rico 20th-century Puerto Rican lawyers University of Salamanca alumni {{US-state-judge-stub