05 Dec What Are Some Laws in Puerto Rico
Civil Code: In 1889, Spain extended the Civil Code to Puerto Rico. After ceding the island to the United States, the legislature amended the Civil Code with certain regulations based on the Louisiana Civil Code and other U.S. state laws in effect until 1930, when the Third General Amendment to the Civil Code was enacted. The amendment was in force until November 28, 2020, when the new Civil Code of 2020 was introduced. Under the Legislative Assembly, but independently, there are other offices created by the Constitution and/or special laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. These include: Penal Code: Puerto Rico has had a penal code since 1879. The current Code, promulgated and amended by Law No. 146 of 30 July 2012, defines new offences in accordance with the newly created laws and jurisprudence. See Penal Code (in Spanish). Electoral Law: This law was promulgated by Law No. 58 of June 20, 2020. Compile, amend, and/or repeal various existing laws, including local voting rights and requirements, political campaign finance, and the U.S. presidential election on the island.
See Electoral Law of 2020 (in Spanish) Office of Legislative Services (Oficina de Servicios Legislativos): This office supports the work of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico and is the local version of the Library of Congress. It is responsible for the history and procedure of legislative laws, which can be accessed free of charge via the SUTRA database. Other responsibilities assigned to this office include the Library of the Legislative Assembly, internships in the United States Congress and the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico for students and teachers. Since Puerto Rican laws were promulgated in Spanish, the Department of Translation offered services to translate any Puerto Rican law into English. Municipal Code: This order code was established by Law No. 107 of August 14, 2020 of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico. This law repealed several laws relating to Puerto Rico municipalities that had been in effect since the beginning of the 20th century under Article 1 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico. Topics include self-sufficiency, taxes, housing, sports facilities, debt and regulation.
See Municipal Code (in Spanish) The Miguel J. Rodríguez Fernández Library is a free virtual library run by the Office of Management and Budget of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that has compiled and updated Puerto Rico`s laws with the latest approved legislative changes (in Spanish). Biblioteca Virtual: « Biblioteca Miguel J. Rodríguez Fernández » Tax Code: This code was published in 2011 and amended by Law No. 173-2020. Includes tax laws relating to income tax, inheritance and gift tax, excise tax, sales and use tax, liquor tax, taxpayer bill of rights and by-laws. See Internal Revenue Code 2011 (in Spanish). The island of Puerto Rico, under Spanish sovereignty, was governed primarily by the compilation of the laws of India, Fuero Juzgo, Fuero Real, the compilations of the laws of 1805, the Seven Partidas and various royal cedulas and decrees issued by His Majesty the King of Spain and/or the Governor of Puerto Rico. The only Puerto Rican constitutional periods under Spanish rule were the two times the 1812 constitution was in effect, between 1812-1814 and 1820-1822. Since 1837, the Spanish constitutions of 1837, 1845, 1869 and 1876 declared that Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines were governed by special laws, which were the laws of India and other laws mentioned above. The Spanish Civil Code of 1889 with some amendments and additions was in force from 1889 to 2020. There are specialized courts such as the Juvenile and Family Court of the Autonomous City of Bayamón, Puerto Rico, this court specializes in family and minor matters.
Due to issues that have been considered and resolved by this court, it is not fully open to the public. In addition, there are courts for domestic violence cases in the judicial districts of Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Carolina, Fajardo, Ponce and San Juan, and courtrooms specializing in domestic violence cases. In the Utuado region, the Court was expanded to include cases of gender-based violence (including rape and sexual violence). There are also drug treatment courts in the justice centers of Arecibo, Caguas, Carolina, Ponce, San Juan, Bayamón, Guayama, Mayagüez, Humacao and Fajardo that are accessible to people with substance abuse problems who have been charged with a non-violent crime, are treated and meet other legal requirements. Since 1899, the island of Puerto Rico has been an unincorporated territory of the United States of America, under the full power and sovereignty of the United States Congress, in accordance with article IV, section 3, Cl. 2 of the Constitution of the United States. [2] In general, and with a few exceptions, people born in Puerto Rico since 1917 are U.S. citizens. [3] Incentive Code: The purpose of this Code is to consolidate the laws and regulations of decrees, incentives, subsidies, refunds, contributory or financial benefits; promoting the sustainable economic development of Puerto Rico; and, inter alia, to ensure stability, security and credibility for private investment. See 2019 Incentive Code (in Spanish).
It is important to note that this code amended Law 20, known as the Services Export Promotion Law, and Law 22, known as the Private Investors Law. Insurance Code: Created by Law No. 77 of June 19, 1977 and amended in December 2020, the Code governs the entire insurance industry, with the exception of certain regulated agencies of the Government of Puerto Rico. The office is headed by the Insurance Commissioner of Puerto Rico. The law also includes a bill of rights for Puerto Rico insurance customers. See Puerto Rico Insurance Code (in Spanish). There is also another health insurance code (in Spanish) that regulates the healthcare industry. The Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the highest and only court that exists in Puerto Rico by constitutional mandate. It interprets the Constitution and analyzes the constitutional validity of laws passed by the Legislative Assembly as well as official acts of other branches of government.
The Supreme Court is the third level of the courts; it is a court of appeal after the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal. It has a Chief Justice and eight associate judges, whose constitutional term lasts until the age of 70. The executive branch, similar to the 50 U.S. states, is governed by Article IV of the Constitution. It is headed by the governor, elected by direct universal suffrage. [9] The candidate must be at least 35 years old, a U.S. citizen and a citizen and resident of Puerto Rico for at least five years prior to the election. [10] Like the President of the United States at the federal level, the Governor of Puerto Rico can execute legislation, convene the legislature, appoint government officials in accordance with the law, approve veto laws, and create and modify agencies.
Political Code: Promulgated in July 1902 is the oldest code currently in force in Puerto Rico, the original purpose was to develop the Organic Law of 1900. [23] This Code also contains certain general provisions of the Spanish Civil Code of 1889 that were not included in the revision of the Civil Code of Puerto Rico of 1902. See the current Political Code with changes from 2021 (in Spanish). Vehicles used to facilitate the sale or possession of marijuana are subject to expiration. [17] An Act to amend section 42 of title 7 of the Canal Zone Act and section 41 of the Act, entitled “An Act for the provision of civil government for Puerto Rico and for other purposes”, approved on March 2, 1917, as amended. March 26, 1938, 52 Stat. 118. [12] See Royal Audience of Puerto Rico; Historia de la Real Audiencia de Puerto Rico.
Code of Civil Procedure: The current Code of Civil Procedure was adopted by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico on 4 September 2009 and adopted on 17 September 2009. In September 2009, it was forwarded to the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico for final approval. Since its entry into force on 1 July 2010, the rules have been amended several times. See the current Code of Civil Procedure (in Spanish). For permission to reprint, please contact Camille Cooper, RAINN`s Vice President of Public Policy, at [email protected]. RAINN (Rape Abuse and Incest National Network) provides general information, the accuracy and timeliness of which must be determined, but not guaranteed. The information is not presented as a source of legal advice. You should not rely on RAINN`s statements or statements when providing legal advice.
If you need legal advice that you would like to rely on in your legal affairs, consult a competent and independent lawyer. RAINN assumes no responsibility for the acts or omissions of persons who have used this information, and no one is entitled to any right to rely on the information provided or expressed. RAINN does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information, products or services mentioned. Academia de Jurisprudencia y Legislación de Puerto Rico [14] Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v Luis M. Sanchez Valle, et al. 579 U.S. (2016). See also Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle. Distribution of marijuana includes possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. In 1900, the U.S.
Congress created the United States District Court of Puerto Rico and provided that a judge should be appointed for a four-year term. [16] A 1938 statute increased the judge`s term to eight years. [17] In 1961, Congress approved a second judge for the district. [18] In 1966, another congressional bill granted future appointments to the two judicial positions of the District of Puerto Rico for life with good conduct, placing it as an Article III court in the same status as other U.S. district courts. [19] An additional judge was appointed in 1970. [20] In 1978, four more judges were admitted. [21] In 1915, the judicial district of Puerto Rico was assigned to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.