Manuel José García-Mansilla has been sworn in as a new Justice of the Argentine Supreme Court. The court will meet on March 6 to consider Ariel Lijo’s leave request following his concurrent appointment. García-Mansilla will attend the Legislature Opening ceremony this Saturday, but a five-member court will not be in place yet. Lijo’s leave request has led to discussions about the legitimacy of these judicial appointments made via presidential decree.
On Thursday, Manuel José García-Mansilla was officially sworn in as a new Justice of Argentina’s Supreme Court (CSJN), following President Javier Milei’s Decree 137/2025. The swearing-in ceremony saw attendance from Chief Justice Horacio Rosatti, Deputy Chief Justice Carlos Rosenkrantz, and Justice Ricardo Lorenzetti. With this appointment, the CSJN regains its full complement of four members after the retirement of Juan Carlos Maqueda in December.
The CSJN is scheduled to gather on March 6 to address a request for an extraordinary leave of absence submitted by Ariel Lijo, who was appointed concurrently with García-Mansilla under the same decree. Lijo, previously overseeing Buenos Aires Federal Court 4, desires to return to that role should the Senate fail to confirm his appointment, leading him to refrain from resigning.
Furthermore, García-Mansilla is set to attend the upcoming Legislature Opening ceremony on Saturday, during which President Milei will deliver a speech anticipated to last around 45 minutes. It is noteworthy that the aspiration to have a complete five-member CSJN by then has proven unfeasible.
Lijo’s request for unpaid leave has generated considerable debate in the aftermath of Milei’s decree for appointing judges. Legal experts appear to concur that Lijo’s request aligns with his rights, with indications that Justice Lorenzetti may support this initiative. Milei’s Decree 137/2025, signed by him and Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona, facilitated the temporary appointments of García-Mansilla and Lijo in accordance with article 99, paragraph 19 of the National Constitution. These appointments are effective until November 30.
In summary, Manuel José García-Mansilla’s swearing-in as Justice of the Argentine Supreme Court restores its membership to four justices. The court’s upcoming session will address Ariel Lijo’s extraordinary leave request amid ongoing discussions regarding the validity of judicial appointments made by presidential decree. The situation reflects significant legal debates within the Argentine judiciary stationed under President Javier Milei’s administration.
Original Source: en.mercopress.com
