Colloquium in honor of Dr. Juan Manuel Pellerano Gómez

SANTO DOMINGO. The Constitutional Court (TC) of the Dominican Republic held a colloquium in honor of
Dr. Juan Manuel Pellerano Gómez, founding partner of Pellerano & Herrera, aimed at paying posthumous
tribute to the individual recognized as the most accomplished lawyer in the Dominican Republic. Three
jurists addressed various topics during the event.
In his welcoming address, the Constitutional Court’s president, Milton Ray Guevara stated Juan Manuel
Pellerano Gómez’s memory preserves the courage that distinguished him as he “dared to address
politically and socially significant issues like no one else of his time.” He added that “everyone who knew
Pellerano Gómez agrees he was an exceptional human being and a consummate legal professional whose
contributions are documented in works that are essential references for both students and legal
professionals”.
He also highlighted the jurist’s efforts in educating students, lawyers, judges, and members of the Public
Ministry, along with his contributions to the development of constitutional thinking as a means of curbing
state arbitrariness. The colloquium featured the participation of Rodolfo Piza Rocafort, jurist and former
Minister of the Presidency of Costa Rica; Magistrate Jorge Subero Isa, former president of the Supreme
Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic; and Eduardo Jorge Prats, constitutional law professor at
PUCMM, who addressed various topics. Julio José Rojas Báez, emeritus secretary of the Constitutional
Court, served as the moderator.
Similarly, the academic vice-rector of PUCMM, Professor Julio Ferreira, offered welcoming remarks
highlighting the qualities of Juan Manuel Pellerano Gómez, describing him as a brilliant lawyer and an
excellent educator whose example of integrity and passion for justice should be followed.
Rodolfo Piza Rocafort
Rodolfo Piza Rocafort, jurist and former Minister of the Presidency of Costa Rica, discussed on “Democracy,
Rule of Law, and Constitutional Justice,” emphasizing Dr. Pellerano Gómez’s contributions to private,
procedural, constitutional, and political law, as well as democracy and law. He remembered the honoree
as a great jurist who defined the Constitution as “a set of rules that structure power in the modern state
by instituting rulers, determining their respective powers and competencies, while also recognizing the
rights of individuals”.
In his presentation, the Costa Rican jurist referred to the importance of advocating for democracy, stating
that “democracies have achieved higher levels of coexistence, and even economic, social, and
environmental development than authoritarian models, and if only for that reason, they have done so in
peace and freedom”.
Jorge Subero Isa
Former President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic (SCJ), Magistrate Jorge
Subero Isa, lectured on “The Constitutionalization of Civil Liability in the Dominican Republic: The
presumption of the Guardian of the Inanimate Object as an Example,” expressing gratitude to the
Constitutional Court for allowing him to participate in the tribute to his unforgettable friend. He recalled
that, during the inauguration of the School of Magistracy, he referred to Dr. Pellerano Gómez as “the most
complete Dominican lawyer of that time.”
Subero Isa clarified that within the concept of constitutionalization of civil liability, one must understand
all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of the country and the block of binding judgments issued by
the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Justice.
He emphasized that civil liability has evolved, and the focus should be on finding a responsible party to
compensate for the damage, rather than assigning blame. “Achieving this goal is finding the foundation of
civil liability in an era of robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, nanotechnology, smart
highways, and automated vehicles.”
Eduardo Jorge Prats
Eduardo Jorge Prats, constitutional law professor at PUCMM, one of the leading universities in the
Dominican Republic, shared aspects of the honoree’s life with his topic “Pellerano Gómez: Propeller of the
New Dominican Constitutionalism”, expressing his honor for being invited to remember one of the pillars
of what is now known as the social and democratic rule of law.
He highlighted that Pellerano Gómez’s thinking remains relevant and asserted and that the jurist
discovered and regulated the amparo action and implicit rights, introducing us to the Constitution as a
norm. Jorge Prats described Pellerano Gómez as a generous and enthusiastic man and jurist with a youthful
spirit who knew how to work as a team. “He was a keen observer of the Dominican political-historical
reality.”
He also emphasized the excellent editorial work Pellerano Gómez carried out, including essays on
Constitution and politics, “where he anticipated what is now known as the regulatory authority of
regulatory agencies”.
Magistrates of the Constitutional Court, members of the legal community, and family members of Juan
Manuel Pellerano Gómez attended this colloquium held in posthumous tribute to the distinguished jurist,
founder of the prestigious law firm Pellerano & Herrera, the first director of the National School of the
Judiciary, and concurrently the director of the National School of the Public Ministry.
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