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CJA Committee and Attorney Panel

  Telephone E-mail Address
CJA Attorney Panel Information 787.772.3016 Carmen_Serrano@prd.uscourts.gov

CJA Committee

The Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Committee was established pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act Plan (Effective January 1, 2025) (Criminal Justice Act Plan 2004, Effective until December 31, 2024) approved by the judges of the Court. It is composed of the Chief Judge of the District or any other District Judge so designated, a second District Judge, one (1) magistrate judge, the Clerk of Court or designee, the Federal Public Defender or designee, and six (6) attorneys who practice regularly in the district, of which five are to be CJA panel members. The CJA Committee is responsible for, among other matters:

  • Implementing the District's CJA Plan
  • Managing the CJA Mentoring Program for attorneys requesting membership in the CJA Panel
  • Evaluating the applications to the CJA Panel
  • Managing the Continuing Legal Education requirements for CJA Panel members
  • Assessing the performance of CJA Panel members. 
  • CJA Committee:  Order of Delegation of Authority (04.17.2018)

CJA Committee Members List

  • Hon. Aida M. Delgado-Colón, CJA Committee Chairperson
    U.S. District Judge
  • Second District Judge
  • Hon. Bruce J. McGiverin
    U.S. Magistrate Judge
  • Ada I. García-Rivera, Esq.
    Clerk of Court
  • Rachel Brill, Esq.
    Federal Public Defender
  • Lydia Lizarribar, Esq.
  • Manuel Pietrantoni, Esq.
  • Jose R. Aguayo, Esq.
  • Laura Maldonado, Esq.
  • Joseph Boucher, Esq.
  • Attorney

CJA Attorney Panel

Attorneys may apply for membership in the CJA Panel by filling-out the CJA Panel Questionnaire and Application and delivering same to the Clerk's Office (attn Chief Deputy Clerk),  Federico Degetau Federal Building, Rm. 150, 150 Carlos Chardón Street, San Juan, PR 00918-1767.

Information as to membership on the First Circuit CJA Panel is posted in the Criminal Justice Act Materials section of the First Circuit's website.  If you are a First Circuit CJA Panel member and want to confirm the expiration of your term, you can consult the list of First Circuit CJA Panel Members. 

CJA Panel Membership Forms