Alicia Austria-Martinez facts for kids

Maria Alicia Austria-Martinez, born Maria Alicia Austria on December 19, 1940, is a Filipino judge. She served as an associate justice of the highest court in the Philippines, the Supreme Court of the Philippines, from 2002 to 2009. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed her to this important role on April 12, 2002.

Her Journey in Law

Austria-Martinez began her career in government in February 1962. She started as a clerk in the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Later, she became a Legal Officer in the same office.

Her path in the government changed when she joined the court system. In October 1964, she became a legal researcher in the Court of First Instance of Rizal. This was the start of her long and successful career in the judiciary, which is the system of courts and judges. She slowly moved up, holding different positions like Attorney Researcher and Senior Attorney. Eventually, she became the Division Clerk of Court for the Court of Appeals in October 1976.

In January 1983, she became a Presiding Judge for the Regional Trial Court in Calamba, Laguna. She then moved to Pasig as a Presiding Judge in November 1986. From 1990 to 1992, she also served as the Executive Judge for the Regional Trial Court of Pasig. She was also active in judges' associations during these years.

In March 1992, she returned to the Court of Appeals, this time as an associate justice. She held this position until July 2001, when she was appointed as the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals. This was a very important leadership role. However, her time as Presiding Justice was short. In April 2002, she was chosen to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country.

Her Contributions and Education

Justice Austria-Martinez was also involved in many other important legal activities. She was an examiner for the Bar Examinations in 1994 and 2000. These exams are what lawyers must pass to practice law. She also helped create rules for Family Courts, including rules for child witnesses and adoption. She often shared her knowledge by lecturing at various legal programs.

She earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines in 1962. She passed the Bar Examinations in the same year. She also earned a master's degree in National Security Administration in 1980. She even helped examine students at the National Defense College of the Philippines. In 1999, she attended a special program for lawyers at Harvard Law School in the United States.

Early Retirement

In September 2008, Justice Austria-Martinez decided to retire early. She sent a letter to the Supreme Court, explaining that she was leaving her position on April 30, 2009. This was about 15 months before she would have had to retire at age 70. She mentioned health reasons for her decision.

The Chief Justice at the time, Reynato Puno, said that the court simply noted her resignation because it was her right to retire. Other members of the Judicial and Bar Council, which helps choose judges, also mentioned her health concerns. Former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban expressed sadness but noted that she felt she could no longer handle the large number of cases. The Philippine Constitution states that Supreme Court members serve until age 70 or if they become unable to do their job.

Her Family Background

Maria Alicia Austria-Martinez was born in Manila on December 19, 1940. She grew up in a family deeply connected to the law, as both her parents were lawyers. Her father, Benjamin A. Austria, was a retired Colonel in the Philippine Air Force. Her mother, Remedios M. Austria, had a doctorate in Civil Law and was a consultant at the University of Santo Tomas.

Austria-Martinez was married to Daniel T. Martinez, who used to be the Clerk of Court for the Supreme Court. She has two sons.

Other Important Roles

After her time on the Supreme Court, Austria-Martinez continued to contribute to the legal field. She served as the dean of the College of Law at Adamson University from 2012 to 2015.

Key Legal Decisions

Justice Austria-Martinez wrote important opinions on many cases during her time on the Supreme Court. These opinions helped shape the law in the Philippines. Some examples include:

• Macalintal v. COMELEC (2003) — This case was about whether the law allowing Filipinos living abroad to vote was constitutional.
• Tecson v. COMELEC (2004) — She wrote a separate opinion in this case, which was about the citizenship of presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr..
• Honasan v. Panel of Investigators (2004) — This case dealt with whether the Department of Justice could investigate a Senator accused of a crime.
• Freedom from Debt Coalition v. MERALCO (2004) — She wrote a concurring and dissenting opinion on this case, which was about whether electricity companies needed to give notice before raising rates.
• People v. Tomaquin (2004) — This case was about whether a confession made outside of court, with the help of a local community leader or lawyer, could be used as evidence.
• ABAKADA v. Ermita (2005) — This case was about whether a new tax law, the Expanded Value Added Tax Law, was constitutional.