Gilmar Mendes

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Ferreira and the second or paternal family name is Mendes.
His Excellency
Gilmar Mendes
Justice of the Supreme Federal Court
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 20, 2002
Appointed byFernando Henrique Cardoso
Preceded byNéri da Silveira[1]
53rd President of the Supreme Federal Court
In office
April 23, 2008 – April 23, 2010
Vice PresidentCezar Peluso
Preceded byEllen Gracie
Succeeded byCezar Peluso
Attorney General of the Union
In office
January 21, 2000 – June 20, 2002
PresidentFernando Henrique Cardoso
Preceded byGeraldo Magela
Succeeded byJosé Bonifácio de Andrada
Personal details
Born (1955-12-30) December 30, 1955 (age 68)
Diamantino, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Alma materUniversity of Brasília (LL.B., LL.M.)
University of Münster (LL.M., LL.D.)
Other judicial positions

Gilmar Ferreira Mendes (born December 30, 1955) is a Brazilian Justice of the Supremo Tribunal Federal (Brazilian Supreme Federal Court), appointed by then President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 2002. Mendes was the Chief Justice of the Court for the 2008–2010 term. Earlier, he had been the Attorney General from 2000 to 2002.

He has been criticised by legal scholars[2] and journalists[3] for the supposedly opportunistic political motivations of his rulings, and mocked[4] for his alleged penchant for freeing powerful politicians suspected of corruption. In 2009, fellow Justice Joaquim Barbosa confronted[5] him during a televised session of the Court, comparing him to a local criminal leader who commanded "thugs".

  1. ^ "Ministros :: STF - Supremo Tribunal Federal". STF.jus.br. 1999-12-03. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  2. ^ "O inimigo do Supremo". 5 June 2017.
  3. ^ "O Papai Noel do Supremo - 19/12/2017 - Bernardo Mello Franco - ex-colunista".
  4. ^ "Ueba! Gilmar solta de baciada! - 24/08/2017 - José Simão - Colunistas".
  5. ^ "Ministro ataca Mendes: 'Não está falando com seus capangas' - Política".