Gabriel Palma Guzmán

José Gabriel Palma Guzmán (22 July 1834 – 24 July 1924) was a Chilean lawyer, judge and politician who served twice as president of the Supreme Court, in 1899 and 1909.

Early life and education

Palma was born in Santiago on 22 July 1834, the son of José Gabriel Palma Villanueva and Dolores Guzmán Ossandón. He studied at the Instituto Nacional and later studied law at the University of Chile. He was admitted to the bar on 4 January 1859.

He was also a member of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the University of Chile.

Political career

A member of the Liberal Party, Palma served as a deputy for Coelemu during the 1855–1858 legislative period and was a substitute deputy for Chillán during the 1861–1864 period.

After leaving politics, he devoted himself to a career in the judiciary.

Judicial career

Palma was appointed judge of Treasury and Commerce of Santiago in 1867 and became a civil judge in Santiago in 1875. He subsequently held several judicial positions in Santiago and Valparaíso.

In 1889, he was appointed a justice of the Court of Appeals of Santiago. From 20 March 1896 to 4 April 1897, he served as prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Chile. On 5 April 1897, he was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court.

In 1899, Palma became president of the Supreme Court for the first time, succeeding Leopoldo Urrutia. He held the presidency during the government of Federico Errázuriz Echaurren and was succeeded by Carlos Casanueva Ramos.

A decade later, in 1909, Palma served a second term as president of the Supreme Court, again succeeding Leopoldo Urrutia. He held the presidency during the government of Pedro Montt and was succeeded by Enrique Foster in 1910.

Palma retired from the Supreme Court in 1916.

He was also one of the founders of La Gaceta de los Tribunales.