José Miguel Barriga

José Miguel Barriga Castro (14 May 1816 – 3 September 1886) was a Chilean lawyer, judge, surveyor and politician who served as president of the Supreme Court from 1880 to 1881.

Barriga also served in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile. He represented San Felipe from 1855 to 1858 and Linares from 1858 to 1864. He served as vice president of the Chamber from 5 June 1858 to 4 June 1859.

During his parliamentary career, he served on the Permanent Commission of Constitution, Legislation and Justice and participated as a substitute member of the Permanent Commission of Finance and Industry.

Early life and education

Barriga was born in Los Andes on 14 May 1816, the son of Juan Agustín Barriga del Canto and Margarita Castro Azócar. After completing his early education in his hometown, he moved to Santiago, where he studied at the Instituto Nacional.

He studied law at the Instituto Nacional and graduated in canon and civil law from the Royal University of San Felipe on 9 January 1835. He subsequently entered the Academy of Law and Forensic Practice and was admitted to the bar on 3 May 1837. In 1839, he qualified as a surveyor.

Judicial and public career

In 1837, Barriga became a professor of Latin at the Instituto Nacional, remaining there until 1842, when he was appointed judge of letters of Cauquenes. In 1843, he became judge of letters of Maule, and in 1845 he was appointed criminal judge of Valparaíso.

Between 1847 and 1849, Barriga served as intendant of the Province of Maule. Following the establishment of the Court of Appeals of Concepción in 1849, he was appointed one of its founding justices and became its senior justice. In 1852, he became regent of the court before being transferred later that year to the Court of Appeals of Santiago.

In 1854, Barriga participated in the commission charged with reviewing the Civil Code drafted by Andrés Bello.

Barriga served as an acting justice of the Supreme Court of Chile in 1855 and again in 1857. On 27 April 1858, he was appointed a permanent justice of the Supreme Court.

Following the death of Manuel Montt in 1880, Barriga became president of the Supreme Court. He served as president from 1880 to 1881 and was succeeded by Alejandro Reyes Cotapos in 1882.

He remained a justice of the Supreme Court until 1882.