---
title: "Jose Antonio Fuste | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jose-antonio-fuste-1137"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-08-06"
---

# Jose Antonio Fuste

U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico · Judge

## Profile

- Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
- State: Puerto Rico
- Role: Judge
- Service status: former
- Last verified: 2026-06-30

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge, District Court, D. Puerto Rico, 1985-present
- Professor of admiralty law, University of Puerto Rico, 1972-present
- José Antonio Fusté is a retired U.S. federal judge who served on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico from 1985 until his retirement in 2016
- Service: Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (1985–2016)
- After retirement, Fusté became a partner at Peters, LaPlaca and Fusté (PLF), a law firm in San Juan

### Education

- B.B.A. — University of Puerto Rico — 1965

### Additional information

- Chief Judge: 2004–2011
- Joined the court in 1985 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan.
- Private practice, San Juan, PR, 1968-1985
- Fusté obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico in 1965 and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in 1968 He practiced law in San Juan from 1968 to 1985 and began teaching admiralty law at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in 1972
- Born November 3, 1943, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Date of birth: 1943-01-01
- handling civil and criminal litigation and white-collar defense He also withdrew from the Puerto Rico Bar Association upon request
- Birth place: San Juan

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1137/jose-antonio-fuste/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1137/jose-antonio-fuste/)
- [U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1137/jose-antonio-fuste/)
- [SUMAC, Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos](https://poderjudicial.pr/tribunal-electronico/sumac/)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1137/jose-antonio-fuste/)
- [Jose Fuste - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jose_Fuste)
- [FJC Education relational dataset](https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/history/education.csv)

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