zoom_in Click to enlarge

Jose Cabranes

▲ ▼

description Jose Cabranes Overview

José Cabranes is a United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1979, he became the first Puerto Rican appointed to a federal district court in the continental United States when he joined the District of Connecticut. He has also served as a professor at both Yale Law School and Columbia Law School. Known for his moderate judicial philosophy, he was elevated to the Second Circuit in 1994.

help Jose Cabranes FAQ

What court does José Cabranes serve on?

José Cabranes is a senior judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He was appointed to that court in 1994 after serving on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. [Second Circuit biography](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/jac.html)

Why was José Cabranes’s 1979 appointment historically important?

In 1979, he became the first Puerto Rican appointed to a federal judgeship in the continental United States. President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the District of Connecticut.

What connection did José Cabranes have to Yale University?

Cabranes was general counsel and director of government relations at Yale University when he was appointed to the federal bench. His academic and legal writing later included Citizenship and the American Empire, published by Yale University Press in 1979.

What is the difference between Cabranes’s district and circuit court roles?

A district judge generally hears trials and makes initial decisions, while a circuit judge reviews appeals from lower courts. Cabranes moved from the District of Connecticut to the Second Circuit in 1994.