United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico

1st Circuit San Juan, Puerto Rico

About This Court

The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico is the federal trial court with jurisdiction over the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It handles federal civil and criminal matters arising within the territory, operating as a single district without divisional subdivisions. The court sits in San Juan and is part of the First Circuit.

The District of Puerto Rico has historically carried one of the heavier caseloads among federal district courts, reflecting Puerto Rico's population size and the volume of federal criminal matters, including drug trafficking and firearms cases, that arise in the territory. The court applies federal law as well as, in diversity and supplemental jurisdiction matters, the civil law traditions of Puerto Rico, which draw from Spanish legal heritage rather than common law.

Puerto Rico residents are United States citizens but do not vote in presidential elections and lack voting representation in Congress. This unique constitutional status has generated significant litigation in the district, including cases addressing the applicability of constitutional provisions to unincorporated territories.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Puerto Rico.

Caseload

The District of Puerto Rico consistently ranks among the busiest federal courts per judge, with a particularly high volume of criminal cases involving drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The court also handles complex civil litigation, including matters arising from Puerto Rico's public debt restructuring under PROMESA.

Bar Admission

Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the District of Puerto Rico by meeting the court's local admission requirements, which include admission to the Puerto Rico bar or another state bar and compliance with the court's Local Rules. Pro hac vice admission is available for attorneys not otherwise admitted to the district.

Clerk's Office

150 Carlos Chardon Avenue, San Juan, PR 00918

(787) 772-3000

Active Judges 10

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
María Antongiorgi-Jordán	Joseph R. Biden	2022	Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Raúl Arias-Marxuach	Donald J. Trump	2019	University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Francisco Besosa	George W. Bush	2006	Georgetown University Law Center
Silvia Carreño-Coll	Donald J. Trump	2020	University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Aida Delgado-Colón	George W. Bush	2006	Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Pedro Delgado Hernández	Barack Obama	2014	University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Daniel Domínguez	William J. Clinton	1994	University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Jay Garcia-Gregory	William J. Clinton	2000	University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Gina Méndez-Miró	Joseph R. Biden	2023	University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Camille Vélez-Rivé	Joseph R. Biden	2022	University of Puerto Rico School of Law

Local Rules

69 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 39

Rule	Title
Rule 10	Form of Pleadings
Rule 11	Signing Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers
Rule 16	Pretrial Conferences; Scheduling; Management
Rule 26	Discovery
Rule 3	Commencement of an Action
Rule 30	Depositions
Rule 3.1	Commencement of an Action under Title VI of PROMESA
Rule 38	Demand for Jury Trial
Rule 39	Trial by Jury or by the Court
Rule 3A	Assignment, Reassignment of Cases and Calendar Conflicts
Rule 41	Dismissal of Actions
Rule 42	Consolidation
Rule 43	Taking of Testimony
Rule 47	Jurors
Rule 5	Serving and Filing Pleadings and Other Papers
Rule 51	Instructions to Jury
Rule 5.2	Privacy Protection for Filings Made with the Court
Rule 54	Attorney's Fees and Costs
Rule 55	Default
Rule 56	Summary Judgment
Rule 6	Computing and Extending Time
Rule 65	Injunctions
Rule 67	Deposit into Court
Rule 7	Pleadings Allowed; Form of Motions and Other Papers
Rule 7.1	Disclosure Statement
Rule 72	Duties of United States Magistrate Judges
Rule 73	Assignment of Cases to United States Magistrate Judges
Rule 77	Conducting Business; Clerk's Authority
Rule 77A	Communications with Judges
Rule 79	Records Kept by the Clerk
Rule 83J	Court-annexed Mediation
Rule 83L	Pro Bono Program
Rule 9	Social Security Cases
Rule A	Scope of Rules
Rule C	Actions in Rem: Special Provisions
Rule D	Possessory, Petitory, and Partition Actions
Rule E	Actions in Rem and Quasi in Rem: General Provisions
Rule F	Limitation of Liability
Rule H	Special Rules

Criminal Rules 20

Rule	Title
Rule 101	Scope
Rule 106	The Grand Jury
Rule 107	The Indictment and the Information
Rule 111	Pleas
Rule 112	Pleadings and Pretrial Motions
Rule 116	Discovery
Rule 116A	Special Procedures for Recordings
Rule 116B	Notification to Law Enforcement Agencies and Preservation of Rough Notes
Rule 116C	Confidential Materials; Impounding
Rule 117.1	Status and Pretrial Conferences
Rule 123	Jury or Non-jury Trial
Rule 124	Trial Jurors
Rule 130	Jury Instructions
Rule 132	Sentencing and Judgment
Rule 132.1	Disclosures in Revocation Proceedings
Rule 144A	Appointment of Counsel and Case Management in Capital Cases
Rule 146	Release from Custody [Bonds in Criminal Cases]
Rule 147	Motions, Oppositions, and Replies
Rule 159	Matters Before a Magistrate Judge
Rule 162	Attorneys: Appearances and Withdrawals

General Rules 5

Rule	Title
Rule 83F	Security
Rule 83G	Court Proceedings; Release of Information
Rule 83H	Complaints of Judicial Misconduct or Disability
Rule 83K	Bankruptcy
Rule 83M	Dress Code

Attorney Rules 4

Rule	Title
Rule 83B	Law Student Practice
Rule 83C	District Bar Examination
Rule 83D	Attorneys: Appearances and Withdrawals
Rule 83E	Attorneys: Disciplinary Rules and Enforcement

Appellate Rules 1

Rule	Title
Rule 83I	Certificates of Appealability

View all local rules →

Other Courts in the 1st Circuit

District of Maine Portland, Maine District of Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts District of New Hampshire Concord, New Hampshire District of Rhode Island Providence, Rhode Island