{ "id": "epj7bn6tpb", "slug": "julio-m-fuentes", "title": "Julio M. Fuentes", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "label": "Surnames D to J", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames D to J", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "label": "Surnames D to J", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Julio M. Fuentes, born in 1946 in Puerto Rico, is a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, appointed by Bill Clinton in 2000.", "snippet": "Julio M. Fuentes, born in 1946 in Puerto Rico, is a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, appointed by Bill Clinton in 2000.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "markdown": "# Julio M. Fuentes\n\nJulio M. Fuentes (born 1946) is an American jurist who served as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 2000 until 2016, when he assumed senior status.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) Appointed by President Bill Clinton, he was the first person of Hispanic origin to sit on the Third Circuit.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) • [2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html) He has served in senior status since July 2016.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) |\n| Appointed by | William J. Clinton[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) |\n| Confirmed | March 7, 2000, by a Senate vote of 93 to 0[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1060408) |\n| Senior status | July 18, 2016[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) |\n| Born | 1946 in Humacao, Puerto Rico[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) |\n| Education | B.A., Southern Illinois University, 1971; M.A., New York University, 1972; J.D., State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, 1975; M.A., Rutgers University, 1993[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nFuentes was born in 1946 in Humacao, Puerto Rico.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) Born and reared in Puerto Rico, he grew up in [Toms River, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/toms-river-new-jersey), where his mother, a single parent, worked as a practical nurse.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html) After high school, he joined the military, serving from 1966 to 1969 as a lieutenant with the military police of the U.S. Army's Special Forces Group in Panama.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html)\n\nHe received a B.A. from [Southern Illinois University](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-illinois-university) in 1971, an M.A. from New York University in 1972, a J.D. from the [State University of New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/state-university-of-new-york) at Buffalo Law School in 1975, and an M.A. from [Rutgers University](https://www.edgepedia.org/rutgers-university) in 1993.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) A source describes his New York University degree as being in Latin American affairs and his Rutgers degree as being in liberal arts.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFuentes was in private practice in [Newark, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/newark-new-jersey), from 1975 to 1981.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) A source states that he practiced civil and criminal law at the firm of Fuentes, Plant & Velazquez.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html) He served as a judge of the Newark Municipal Court from 1979 to 1987.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) He then served as a judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey from 1987 to 2000.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) A source reports that on the Superior Court he served on the Family, Criminal, Civil, Chancery, and General Equity divisions.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Bill Clinton](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-clinton) nominated Fuentes to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on March 8, 1999.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) The Senate confirmed him on March 7, 2000, by a vote of 93 to 0.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1060408) He received his commission on March 9, 2000.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) His appointment made him the first person of Hispanic origin to sit on the Third Circuit.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html) He assumed senior status on July 18, 2016.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111) The Third Circuit encompasses New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the [Virgin Islands](https://www.edgepedia.org/virgin-islands), and he sat in Newark as well as in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Virgin Islands.[2](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Julio M. Fuentes](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391111)\n2. [Judge Fuentes, the School of Law's highest-ranking federal jurist, honored for his career](https://www.law.buffalo.edu/links/2016-November/alumni-fuentes.html)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, March 7, 2000](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1060408)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States courts of appeals judges › Surnames D to J*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/julio-m-fuentes", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/julio-m-fuentes.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. 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