Mexico

Composition and structure

The Federal Tribunal of Administrative Justice is composed of the Superior Chamber and the Regional Chambers which are specialized or auxiliary chambers. The Superior Chamber of the Tribunal is composed of 14 judges and divided in three sections.

The first and second sections render are competent to give final judgment on administrative and fiscal disputes, while the third section decides on disputes relating to the sanctioning of federal offcials.

The General Plenary is composed of the President of the Tribunal, thirteen magistrates of the sections of the Superior Chamber and by the two judges of the regional Chambers who are also part of the Governing and Administration Board of the Tribunal.

Jurisdictional atributions and advice

The Tribunal rules independently on administrative disputes, guaranteeing its impartiality and the reasoning of its decisions.

Its objective is to impart justice in administrative litigation and to issue well-founded and impartial rulings that guarantee citizens the legality of the Court's actions in order to impart justice in the national territory.

It has final jurisdiction over appeals against administrative procedures and acts in areas such as tax administration, social security, public works, public contracts, leases, damage to State property, administrative liability of public officials, etc.

Magistrates are appointed by the President of the Republic of Mexico. Their appointment must be approved by the Senated or, in its recesses, by the Permanent Commission. They are appointed for a term of 15 years, which cannot be extended.

The magistrates of the regional chambers, the specialized chambers and the supernumerary magistrates shall be appointed under the same conditions for 10 years. Their appointment may be extended once for the same period.

Presidente: Guillermo Valls Esponda

On January 2nd 2023, the Superior Chamber of the Federal Tribunal of Administrative Justice elected judge Guillermo Valls Esponda as president.

Guillermo Valls Esponda has a degree in law from the Iberoamericana University, a master in law from the Boston University School of Law and was candidate for a PHD in law for the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.

He had a career in the federal public administration. In the Attorney General´s Office, he served as coordinator of International Affairs and Attache Offices, as well as legal attache for Europe. In the Ministry of Public Function, he was head of the Internal Control Organ.

The President Guillermo Valls Esponda, will preside over the Federal Tribunal of Administrative Justice for the period 2023-2025. He presented an action plan entitled "Administrative Justice within reach of the people", which aims to modernize the organization of the Tribunal and to steamline its procedures for the benefit of the litigants.

One of the main aspects of this program is a project to distribute the workload of the regional chambers and to respect parity within the Court.