Gilmar Mendes

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His Excellency Gilmar Mendes
Justice of the Supreme Federal Court
Incumbent
Assumed office June 20, 2002
Appointed by	Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Preceded by	Néri da Silveira[1]
53rd President of the Supreme Federal Court
In office April 23, 2008 – April 23, 2010
Vice President	Cezar Peluso
Preceded by	Ellen Gracie
Succeeded by	Cezar Peluso
Attorney General of the Union
In office January 21, 2000 – June 20, 2002
President	Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Preceded by	Geraldo Magela
Succeeded by	José Bonifácio de Andrada
Personal details
Born	(1955-12-30) December 30, 1955 (age 68) Diamantino, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Alma mater	University of Brasília (LL.B., LL.M.) University of Münster (LL.M., LL.D.)
Other judicial positions 2016–2018: President, Superior Electoral Court 2014–2016: Vice President, Superior Electoral Court 2013–2018: Effective Justice, Superior Electoral Court 2010–2013: Substitute Justice, Superior Electoral Court 2008–2010: President, National Justice Council 2006–2008: Vice President, Supreme Federal Court 2006–2008: Vice President, National Justice Council 2006–2006: President, Superior Electoral Court 2005–2005: Vice President, Superior Electoral Court 2003–2006: Effective Justice, Superior Electoral Court

Gilmar Ferreira Mendes (born December 30, 1955) is a Brazilian Justice of the Supremo Tribunal Federal (Brazilian Supreme Federal Court), appointed by then President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 2002. Mendes was the Chief Justice of the Court for the 2008–2010 term. Earlier, he had been the Attorney General from 2000 to 2002.

He has been criticised by legal scholars^[2] and journalists^[3] for the supposedly opportunistic political motivations of his rulings, and mocked^[4] for his alleged penchant for freeing powerful politicians suspected of corruption. In 2009, fellow Justice Joaquim Barbosa confronted^[5] him during a televised session of the Court, comparing him to a local criminal leader who commanded "thugs".