Henry Molina emphasizes that empathy and respect for human dignity must be fundamental values in a judge's profile 

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ), Henry Molina, stated on Monday that empathy and respect for human dignity are fundamental values in the administration of justice, as he addressed 15 legal professionals who will be trained by the National School of the Judiciary (ENJ), after passing the academy’s competitive entrance exam. 

In his remarks during the opening ceremony of the 22nd Class of the 2024 Training Program for Judge Candidates, Molina reminded the eight women and seven men beginning their two-year training that behind every case, every appeal, and every decision, there are lives that may be harmed or protected. 

“You have the potential to embody a model and an ethic centered on human dignity, which entails an enormous responsibility; you must be prepared to face today’s challenges, adapt to the changing dynamics of the present, and, above all, be attuned to the needs of the people you serve,” said the presiding judge. 

He said that the ENJ is called upon to play a crucial role in training judges worthy of acting on behalf of the Republic, which involves going through stages of awareness-raising, problem-framing, mindset-shifting, and consciousness-building. 

Judge Molina, who also chairs the ENJ’s Board of Directors, noted that the ENJ is a nationally and internationally renowned institution whose judge selection process has become a regional benchmark, ensuring the quality of its professionals and familiarizing them with the latest trends in management and technological advancements. 

For her part, Judge Vanessa Acosta, a judge on the First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice and a graduate of the Second Class of Judge Candidates at the National School of Judges (ENJ) in 2003, urged them to take advantage of this opportunity, while congratulating them on making the important decision to dedicate their lives to becoming judges in the Judiciary and administering justice on behalf of the Republic. 

He also said that one of the judiciary’s greatest strengths is that admission, retention, and promotion within the profession are based on merit. 

“You must have a calling to dedicate yourselves to serving society in these roles, but always keep in mind that a calling alone is not enough; training is essential—it is necessary. You will receive an excellent training program from the National School of the Judiciary, designed to prepare you for the future,” said Judge Acosta. 

Meanwhile, ENJ Director Ángel Brito said that this class will receive intensive, rigorous, and ambitious training that will change their lives. 

“We have focused on identifying the current needs of the justice system and how a judge, who is attuned to their social reality, can help bring to life the values of a social and democratic state governed by the rule of law. That is why the training program is designed so that, upon graduation, you will embody a culture of efficiency, a culture of transformation, and a culture of data,” Brito stated. 

He expressed confidence that the training experience would be meaningful enough for the 15 professionals entering the ENJ to connect with one another and with their surroundings, thereby embodying the best values of democracy.  

“We will help you develop the skills that will enable you to become the new judges the Judiciary is looking for: efficient, innovative, and accountable—but, above all, judges who are people-centered,” he said. 

The members of the 22nd graduating class  

The legal professionals beginning the training program are Liselotte Díaz Martínez, Carolyn Denisse Bonilla Espino, Michael Joan Abreu González, Miguel Ángel Otaño Montero, Scarlette Cáceres Ángeles, and Rocío del Alba Espejo Hidalgo. 

Also Henry Alexis Sánchez de la Cruz, Roxy Cristal Morla Díaz, Roberto Adony Soto Santana, Johann Francisco Reyes Suero, Emmanuel Ureña Ureña, Nathalia Sosa Nin, Rogelis Ramón Florentino Romero, Ana Elena Moreno Santana, and Brenda Marlenny Vargas Marte. 

The Process 

The ENJ’s new training program enhances the teaching of judicial ethics and strengthens the development of soft skills, focusing on the knowledge and skills that judges must possess to decide the cases brought before them. 

The ideal candidate for a judge in the Judiciary is someone who is efficient, innovative, impartial, independent, technologically savvy, ethically responsible, institutionally minded, and dedicated to public service. 

A total of 516 people have graduated from the program across 21 classes, of whom 353 are women—equivalent to 68.41 percent—and 163 are men, accounting for 31.59 percent. 

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