DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
50th Anniversary
48th Annual Business Meeting
Judge Cheryl L. Leininger, President
Spain & Portugal ~ May 17 – June 2, 2023
FELLOWS ATTENDING:
President Cheryl Leininger
Judge Julian Bailey, Jr. & Judith
Judge Derek Hunt
Judge Dickran Tevrizian & Gerry
Judge Thomas Thrasher
Commissioner Eleanor Palk
Judge John Zitny
Diane Bowen, CAO, Emeritus
Guests:
Robert & Pamela Bailey
Sandra Hall
Gregory Hunt
Angie Meneses
THURSDAY: Fellows and guests arrived in Barcelona and transferred to the Catalonia Gran Via Barcelona for three nights to begin the first international trip since 2019 due to covid.
FRIDAY: In the morning the group departed for a full day tour of Barcelona. The group visited Park Güell, the home of entrepreneur Eusebi Güell. In 1886 he hired Gaudi as an architect to design the park. For many years the Güell family lived in the large family house (now a school), while Gaudí lived in one of the two houses that were built there. During his lifetime, the park was considered to be one of Barcelona’s great tourist attractions, and the large square is still used for staging Catalanist events, traditional Catalan sardana dancing and other civic and social events.
After visiting the park, the group enjoyed a tapas lunch at Los Tortillez, followed by a guided tour of Sagrada Famillia, a UNESCO designated gothic and art nouveau designed Catholic Church. Antoni Gaudi was one of the original chief architects and devoted his life to the project. When Gaudi died in 1926 Sagrada Famillia was less than a quarter of the size it is today, as it continues to expand. Gaudi is buried in the church’s crypt.
In the evening the group enjoyed a Welcome Dinner at Pelai Restaurant.
SATURDAY: Today the group visited Montserrat, which is 30 miles northwest of Barcelona in the heart of the Catalan region. It is renowned for its distinctive rock formations and monastery. Montserrat Mountain is instantly recognizable. Halfway up the mountain lies the Benedictine Monastery de Montserrat, home to La Moreneta ('Little Brown One', or 'Black Virgin'), one of Spain’s most revered icons. The group toured the Monastery and enjoyed lunch at the Monserrat Restaurant.
SUNDAY: In the morning the group departed Barcelona and flew to Madrid. Upon arrival the group was transferred to the impressive Gran Melia Fenix Hotel for three nights and enjoyed a Welcome Dinner and Spanish Flamenco performance at Corral de la Morería Restaurant.
MONDAY: The group was off to a full day excursion to medieval Toledo, with lunch at Venta de Aires. Situated on the River Tagus, Toledo is often called the “City of Three Cultures” for its Muslim, Christian, and Jewish heritage. Toledo is approximately 45 miles from Madrid in the hills above the plains of Castilla-La Mancha. The group enjoyed a walking tour including a tour of Cathedral Primada Santa María de Toledo, a Gothic masterpiece dating back to the 13th century. The evening was free to enjoy Madrid.
TUESDAY: This morning the entire group visited the American Embassy in Madrid for a briefing by the Deputy Chief of Mission, Conrad Tribble, American Citizen Services Chief Rafael Andrade and Kim Wise, also in Citizen Services.
Conrad Tribble came from the Los Angeles area and attended Loyola Marymount College and USC. He joined the Foreign Service in 1987. Mr. Tribble gave a brief presentation of the role the Embassy plays in the United States’ relationship with Spain. Some of the common issues being faced at this time are the war in Ukraine, data security, economic trade development and refugees. Many Spanish students' study in the US, and there are many exchange programs. Spain has a global role and is a member of NATO and the European Union. Mr. Tribble discussed the current politics of Spain.
Rafael Andrade, Chief of the American Services and Kim Wise briefed the group on the duties they share. Mr. Andrade indicated that about 100,000 American citizens reside in Spain and have dual citizenship. Students from the US come and go and the Embassy issues about 15,000 student visas a year. Lost passports and pickpocket thefts are the biggest issues reported by US visitors. There is a low incidence of violent crimes. The Embassy will also assist US citizens with medical issues and facilitate help with referrals for any problems. The Embassy hosts were presented with the IATJ 50th Anniversary paperweight as a thank you for their time.
Following the Embassy visit, the judges were hosted in the Council of the Judiciary for the Supreme Court of Spain, where they met with Senior Judge Luis de Arcos, International Affairs Chief of the Council, and Senior Judge Nuria Diaz Abad. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Spain handling matters relating to civil, criminal, administrative and labour, and is the highest tier of the appeals system and interpretation of case law. The Constitutional Court of Spain handles matters pertaining to constitutional guarantees and rights.
Justice Nuria Diaz Abad gave a power presentation to the IATJ judges. Spain is a “parliamentary monarchy,” and is organized into Provinces, Regions and Municipalities, with 431 Judicial areas. There are presently 5,000+ judges whose average age is 51, 56% are women. The Council of the Judiciary is responsible for the selection, appointment, training, and promotion of judges. In addition, it handles discipline, accountability, ethics matters, and inspection of courts.
Justice Diaz Abad and Justice de Arcos discussed training, organization, perceived judicial independence, lack of judges and resources. In addition to graduation from law school, in order to become a judge, one must attend a judicial school and again pass national exams. Judges begin service in remote judicial areas and must apply for promotion to available vacancies. Incompetent judges can be fired by the Council. One to three judge panels hear most cases, while jury trials are held only in serious criminal cases such as murder, kidnapping and corruption.
IATJ President, Judge Cheryl Leininger, invited the judges to become Honorary Members in the IATJ, and they were presented with 50th Anniversary paperweights.
The group was then escorted across the street to the Tribunal Supremo and given a tour of the historical Palacio de las Salesas building which was built between 1750 and 1758 by Queen Barbara de Braganza, Ferdinand VI’s wife. It became the property of the State in 1870, and in 1875 became the current seat of the Tribunal Supremo. The IATJ judges were presented with a beautiful picture book of the history of the building.
Following the meetings, the group returned to the hotel for lunch and met again for a bus tour of Madrid and a tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid. A UNESCO site, it is the largest palace in Western Europe with 3,418 rooms which “have witnessed centuries of Spanish history, used by Kings of Spain for their audiences and official acts,” It continues to be the official residence of the King of Spain.
WEDNESDAY: In the morning the group left Madrid for Sevilla travelling by the high-speed train in the First-Class cabin. Luggage was handled by transport and the group arrived at the Hotel Inglaterra for a three-night stay. The remainder of the day was free.
THURSDAY: In the morning, the group embarked on a guided walking tour of beautiful Sevilla and visited the Royal Alcáza. Originally a Moorish fort, it is another royal palace still in use. It is divided into various sections: the Courtyard of the Maidens, the Baths of Lady Maria de Padilla, the House of Trade and various other patios with intricate mosaics and wall carvings. The group then enjoyed a panoramic boat trip on the Guadelquivir River through Sevilla. The afternoon was at leisure.
In the evening the group visited the University of Seville, School of Law, which closely followed the foundation of the University in 1505. The meeting was facilitated by Lisa Dolan, the Director of Student Affairs for the International College of Seville. The judges were hosted to a panel meeting with Faculty of Law Dean, Fernando Higinio Llano Alonso, Miguel Adame, Academic Director of the Faculty of Law, Javier Sanchez-Rivas Garcia, Vice-Dean of Institutional Relations of the Faculty of Law, and Amalia Calderon,Tobaruela Abogadas. Faculty professors and students were in the audience. IATJ President Judge Cheryl Leininger, also sat on the dais and introduced the IATJ group and gave a short explanation of the International Academy of Trial Judges. The IATJ judges were asked to introduce themselves and give a short synopsis of their background, followed by the Spanish group. Thereafter the Dean commented, “There was a richness of justice” in the room. The group thoroughly enjoyed the meeting and the interaction with the Faculty and the IATJ and learned much about obtaining a legal education in Spain, including the interesting fact that the law school is a public school and “really affordable.”
President Leininger then presented Vice-Dean Garcia with a $1,000 donation from the Academy to be used for scholarship purposes at the School of Law. In addition, the Dean and Faculty were given IATJ 50th anniversary paperweights as a thank you gift, and the Faculty presented the IATJ group with ties for the men and scarves for the ladies with a legal motif. They also passed out books written by a professor, La Facultad de Derecho de Sevilla durante la Guerra Civil (the Spanish Civil War) 1935-1940.
FRIDAY: In the morning the group departed for a day tour to Cordoba, located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River approximately 80 miles from Seville. A historical city with a Roman bridge spanning the river, and many historical cathedrals and mosques, including the Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral built in the 8th Century and considered one of the greatest works of Islamic architecture. In the evening the group was picked up from their hotel by horse-drawn carriages and taken on a ride through Sevilla before arriving for dinner at the El Pasage Restaurant.
SATURDAY: In the morning the group left Seville for Portugal and enjoyed a scenic ride to Evora with a stop in Badojoz for lunch. The group arrived at the Convento do Espinheiro for an overnight stay, and enjoyed exploring the historical convent build in 1458 by King Afonso V. The convent has been converted into a hotel after much restoration, and with many artifacts for decorations.
SUNDAY: In the morning the group took a walking tour of Evora to see the Roman ruins and then continued to Lisbon. Following a stop in Obidos for lunch, and a visit to St. Mary’s Church with its 17th century furnishings, the group arrived at the Altis Avenida Hotel for a three-night stay.
Annual Business Meeting
At 4:00 p.m. the meeting was convened with all judges and commissioner in attendance. President Cheryl Leininger thanked everyone for coming. She said she was very happy with the trip, that it was a very compatible group, and that everyone has been very pleased with all the lodging. She also thanked Diane for doing a fabulous job working with Gabriel at Creative Travel Planners who really came through for us despite this trip being planned since 2020 and postponed due to covid. By retaining the logistics of the trip, everyone’s deposits from 2020 were able to be applied to this 2023 trip.
The Minutes of the 2022 Business Meeting in Santa Fe were approved as written, so moved by Judge Thrasher; second by Judge Tevrizian, motion unanimously approved. The minutes of 2019 Israel and Jordan trip, not approved in Santa Fe, were also approved.
The Treasurer’s Report was submitted by Diane Bowen for Treasurer Tully Seymour, showing a balance of $4,059.30. Motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report by Commissioner Palk; second by Judge Tevrizian, motion unanimously approved.
The delinquent dues report was reviewed, showing seven judges who had not paid the 2022 dues, and three who had not paid 2022 or 2020 dues; no dues were collected in 2021 due to covid. It was agreed that the three delinquencies for 2020 and 2022 would be dropped from the roster, the others will be contacted by members of IATJ. 2023 dues were being collected during this time.
Recruitment of new members was discussed, including information being sent out to prospective new members about the IATJ, and word of mouth contact. Pending nominations from 2018 through 2020 that have not been acknowledged, were deemed lapsed.
Nomination and election of new officers: Commissioner Barry Michaelson has agreed to move forward as President for 2024. Judge David Brickner who was next in line has stepped down. Judge Derek Hunt is nominated for President-elect (2025); the Chancellor position will remain open (2026). The nominations were closed and the slate was unanimously approved. [Judge Tully Seymour had originally indicated he would step down as Treasurer, but following the trip, he indicated he would continue to serve as Treasurer.]
Commissioner Barry Michaelson indicated to Judge Leininger that he is exploring trip destinations for the Fall of 2024. Destinations were discussed.
Judge Leininger explained that Diane has continued to travel with the group because her replacement, Sarah Guevara, who has continued to do correspondence for IATJ, has not wanted to travel. A new prospect has applied for the position and the judges were apprised of her background by Diane, as she comes from the Federal Court in Los Angeles. The judges agreed that she would be a good replacement in that IATJ needs someone who can assume all the duties of the Chief Administrative Officer. The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
MONDAY: In the morning the group convened to attend a meeting at the Supremo Tribunal de Justiça and were met by Gabriela Cunha Rodrigues, Head of Cabinet and Clarisse Gonҫalves, Cabinet Advisor. The group was given a tour of the historical building. The Supreme Court was created in 1833 when the Portuguese Constitutional Monarchy was established, replacing the ancient higher courts of the Kingdom.
The Courts are divided into four separate “orders,” Constitutional, Judicial, Administrative and Auditors jurisdictions. The IATJ judges were shown the courtrooms of the Constitutional and Judicial Courts.
The IATJ Judges were then introduced to Justice Maria Dos Prazeres Pizarro Beleza, the Vice-President of the Constitutional Court. She has been a judge for 17 years, 10 on the Constitutional Court. She was elected by her colleagues to advance to the Constitutional Court, and appointed by the Parliament. She handles approximately 1,000 criminal cases and 2,000-3,000 civil cases per year. The Court has 10 research attorneys for 60 justices. There are over 1,800 judges in Courts of First Instance in Portugal, 70% are women. Justice Beleza also teaches Civil Procedure.
The judges were free for lunch and then gathered for an afternoon bus tour of Lisbon, including the UNESCO Belém Tower, a 16th century fortification that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers on their “voyages of discovery.” The group also enjoyed a coffee and the famous Pasties de Belém (similar to beignets).
In the evening the group departed for dinner at Monte Mar Lisboa Restaurant where they were met by IATJ Honorary Member and Former President of the Supremo Tribunal, Justice Luis Nascimento and his wife Clara Nascimento. Justice Nascimento first met with the IATJ judges during a trip in 1995 where he was made an Honorary Member, and again joined the group in Lisbon during a trip in 2004. President Leininger told the Justice how honored the IATJ group was to have them join us again. He lives in Porto and recently retired from the Supremo Tribunal 6 months before mandatory retirement at 70 years of age. They lived in Lisbon when he became the President of the Judge’s Association and during the time he was on the Supremo Tribunal.
He discussed his experiences as a judge, explaining that when he was first appointed to the Courts of First Instance, where he worked for 14 years, he would travel around the country to different courts to hear cases. He discussed standards of proof and civil procedures. Judge Leininger presented him with the IATJ paperweight and thanked him for coming to dinner with the group.
TUESDAY: In the morning the group left for a full day of sightseeing in Sintra, a UNESCO site. The group toured the Royal Summer Palace first built in the 15th Century, then enjoyed free time in Sintra to visit and shop in the historical town. The next stop was lunch at the Montemar Cascais Restaurant terrace overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. After a scenic drive back to Lisboa, the night was free for the group to enjoy the city.
WEDNESDAY: In the morning the group left for Porto, and enroute visited Fatima to see the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima shrine complex. Late in the day the group arrived at the Maison Albar Hotel for a two-night stay. The evening was free.
THURSDAY: In the morning the group enjoyed a city tour of Porto with a stop in the UNESCO Palácio Da Bolsa, a historical palace built in the 19th century and used as a stock exchange by the city’s Commercial Association. It is presently used for receptions with heads of state.
In the evening the group enjoyed a Farewell Dinner at the Vinum Restaurant. President Leininger was presented with gifts from the group, as was Diane. Both received a famous cork purse for which Porto is known. Shari was thanked by the group for taking the Presidency of IATJ through the pandemic these last three years.
FRIDAY: In the early morning everyone left for flights home.
Minutes written by Diane Z. Bowen, Chief Administrative Officer Emeritus
Diane Z. Bowen
I certify that all Fellows of the Academy listed above attended all of the meetings of the Academy.
Cheryl L. Leininger, President
