Institutions
Court of Appeals
The intermediate court between the Court of First Instance and Supreme Court. It reviews trial-court decisions and certain final agency decisions. Its panels conduct judicial review, rather than supervise agencies’ daily operations.
Arts. 4.001–4.002, 4.006 ↗ · Sources consulted:Tribunal de Apelaciones · Court of Appeals
Spanish legal name: Tribunal de Apelaciones. Spanish legal names are retained. Some English names are functional translations.
- Government level
- State-level
- Branch or grouping
- Judicial
- Type
- Court
- Sources consulted
- Oct 18, 2026
What it does
- Hears appeals from final trial-court judgments in civil and criminal matters. Appeals and certiorari petitions have different rules and scope.Art. 4.006(a)–(b) ↗ · Sources consulted:
- May grant discretionary certiorari review of trial-court orders or rulings. The existence of a ruling does not mean every request for interlocutory review must be granted.Art. 4.006(b) ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Reviews final agency decisions, orders, and resolutions under applicable law. The cited statute refers to the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act; its historical reference to Act 170 has been replaced by Act 38-2017.Art. 4.006(c) and note ↗ · Sources consulted:
- May consider original habeas corpus and mandamus proceedings. Although its principal work is appellate, not every proceeding begins with an appealed trial-court judgment.Art. 4.006(d) ↗ · Sources consulted:
In everyday life
A dispute may begin at an administrative agency and reach the Court of Appeals for review of a final decision. The agency retains its identity and responsibilities: the map shows judicial review, not membership in the court. Any subsequent Supreme Court review depends on the proceeding and jurisdiction; another hearing or a particular outcome is not promised.Art. 4.006(c) ↗Art. 3.002 ↗ · Sources consulted:
How to distinguish it from other institutions
Reviewing an agency decision is a judicial function, distinct from directing the agency, appointing its staff, or processing the original service. It does not simply replace the agency’s procedures.Art. 4.006(c) ↗ · Sources consulted:
The Supreme Court may review its decisions through legally authorized proceedings. OAT provides administrative support; it is not another level of review and does not decide whether a panel ruled correctly.Arts. 3.002, 2.016 ↗Art. 2.016 ↗ · Sources consulted:
Official services and information
Confirm requirements, forms, and schedules on the linked official portal.
Where it fits
- Judges appointed by: Office of the Governor Art. V, sec. 8 ↗Art. 4.003 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Judges subject to confirmation by: Senate of Puerto Rico Art. V, sec. 8 ↗Art. 4.003 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Decisions reviewable, by proceeding, by: Supreme Court of Puerto Rico Art. 3.002(b)–(d) ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Reviews judgments and orders: Court of First Instance Art. 4.006(a)–(b) ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Receives administrative support from: Office of Courts Administration Resource Facilitation; Uniform Administrative System ↗Art. 2.016 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Judicial review within jurisdiction: Public Service Regulatory Board Sec. 9 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Judicial review within jurisdiction: Puerto Rico Telecommunications Bureau Sec. 9 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Judicial review within jurisdiction: Bureau of Transportation and Other Public Services Sec. 9 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Judicial review; federal exceptions: Puerto Rico Energy Bureau Sec. 9 ↗Art. 6.5(c) ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Reviews final OCS decisions: Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Art. 2.220 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Reviews decisions under the IFE regime: Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions Art. 20 ↗Art. 20 ↗Judgment, pp. 1, 16–17 ↗ · Sources consulted:
- Reviews final COSSEC Board decisions: Public Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives Art. 9(s) ↗Art. 4.006(c) ↗ · Sources consulted:
Map groupings support navigation; they do not themselves establish reporting authority.
Leadership & appointments
Judges and administrative judges
The law establishes 39 judicial seats, appointed by the governor with Senate advice and consent for 16-year terms, subject to applicable constitutional rules. Administrative duties are delegated by the Chief Justice to administrative judges. An administrative assignment and an appointment to judicial office are different acts.Art. 4.003 ↗Composition; operation ↗ · Sources consulted:
A name is not published without current verification of the role.
- Appointment
- Verification pending
- Confirmation
- Verification pending
- Term end
- Verification pending
An absent name does not imply a vacancy. Names from the seed report are not automatically treated as current officeholders.
Governance & composition
It has no corporate board. Cases are decided by panels of three to seven judges under the legal and regulatory organization. A panel chair, the court’s administrative judge, and the appointing authority have different roles. The statutory number of seats does not certify current occupants, vacancies, or individual terms.Art. 4.007 ↗How does the Court of Appeals operate? ↗ · Sources consulted:
Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
Sources & method
The consultation date is not the institution’s own update date.
- Constitución de Puerto Rico — Artículo V (Poder Judicial) ↗https://poderjudicial.pr/constitucion/articulo-v/Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
- https://poderjudicial.pr/tribunal-de-apelaciones/ ↗https://poderjudicial.pr/tribunal-de-apelaciones/Sources consulted: Oct 17, 2026
- https://poderjudicial.pr/constitucion/ ↗https://poderjudicial.pr/constitucion/Sources consulted: Oct 17, 2026
- Ley 201-2003 — Ley de la Judicatura (compilación OGP) ↗https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/LeyesOrganicas/Pages/201-2003.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: May 21, 2026
- Poder Judicial — Tribunal de Apelaciones: funciones y composición ↗https://poderjudicial.pr/tribunal-apelaciones/Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
- Poder Judicial — Decisiones del Tribunal de Apelaciones ↗https://poderjudicial.pr/tribunal-apelaciones/decisiones-finales-del-tribunal-de-apelaciones/Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
- Poder Judicial — Oficina de Administración de los Tribunales ↗https://poderjudicial.pr/oficina-administracion-de-los-tribunales/Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
- Ley 211-2018 — Ejecución de la reorganización de la JRSP (compilación OGP) ↗https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/LeyesOrganicas/Pages/211-2018.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: Apr 15, 2024
- Ley 57-2014 — Transformación y ALIVIO Energético (compilación OGP) ↗https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/LeyesOrganicas/Pages/57-2014.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: Apr 28, 2026
- Código de Seguros — Ley 77-1957, capítulo 2 y autorización de aseguradores (compilación OGP) ↗https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/C%C3%B3digos/77-1957/77-1957.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: Aug 21, 2026
- Ley 273-2012 — Centro Financiero Internacional, art. 20 (compilación OGP publicada por OCIF) ↗https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LEYES-REGLAMENTOS-CARTAS-CIRCULARES/Leyes%20Administrativas/%E2%80%9CLey%20Reguladora%20del%20Centro%20Financiero%20Internacional%E2%80%9D%20%5BLey%20273-2012,%20seg%C3%BAn%20enmendada%5D.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: Apr 15, 2024
- Tribunal de Apelaciones — JIC Bank International v. OCIF, KLRA202500127, sentencia y disenso ↗https://dts.poderjudicial.pr/ta/2025/KLRA202500127-30062025.PDFSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Published: Jun 30, 2025
- Ley 114-2001 — COSSEC, compilación con enmiendas incorporadas y vigencia por conciliar ↗https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/LeyesOrganicas/Pages/114-2001.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: Sep 24, 2024