Gilmar Mendes

His Excellency
Gilmar Mendes
His Excellency Gilmar Mendes
Justice of the Supreme Federal Court
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; June 20, 2002
Appointed by	Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Preceded by	Néri da Silveira
53rd President of the Supreme Federal Court
	In office; April 23, 2008 – April 23, 2010
Vice President	Cezar Peluso
Preceded by	Ellen Gracie
Succeeded by	Cezar Peluso
Attorney General of the Union
	In office; January 21, 2000 – June 20, 2002
President	Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Preceded by	Geraldo Magela
Succeeded by	José Bonifácio de Andrada
Personal details
Born	December 30, 1955; Diamantino, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Alma mater	University of Brasília (LL.B., LL.M.); University of Münster (LL.M., LL.D.)
	Other judicial positions 2016–2018: President, Superior Electoral Court ; 2014–2016: Vice President, Superior Electoral Court ; 2013–2018: Effective Justice, Superior Electoral Court ; 2010–2013: Substitute Justice, Superior Electoral Court ; 2008–2010: President, National Justice Council ; 2006–2008: Vice President, Supreme Federal Court ; 2006–2008: Vice President, National Justice Council ; 2006–2006: President, Superior Electoral Court ; 2005–2005: Vice President, Superior Electoral Court ; 2003–2006: Effective Justice, Superior Electoral Court ;

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Gilmar Ferreira Mendes (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒiwˈma(ʁ) feˈʁe(j).ɾɐ ˈmẽ.d͡ʒis]; born December 30, 1955) is a Brazilian Justice of the Supremo Tribunal Federal (Brazilian Supreme Federal Court), appointed by then President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 2002. Mendes was the Chief Justice of the Court for the 2008–2010 term. Earlier, he had been the Attorney General from 2000 to 2002.

He has been criticised by legal scholars and journalists for the supposedly opportunistic political motivations of his rulings, and mocked for his alleged penchant for freeing powerful politicians suspected of corruption. In 2009, fellow Justice Joaquim Barbosa confronted him during a televised session of the Court, comparing him to a local criminal leader who commanded "thugs".