Magistrates Council Rejects Complaint Against Judge Osmar Legal

The Judicial Council of Magistrates (JEM) has unanimously rejected a complaint lodged against criminal judge Osmar Legal by Juan Villalba, a former director of the Municipal Transit Police and Market No. 4. Villalba had accused Judge Legal of alleged malpractice concerning his pre-trial detention in a domestic violence case.

Villalba had approached the JEM, the oversight body for judges, seeking a sanction against Legal. The complaint centered on Legal's decision to order Villalba's pre-trial detention on September 13, 2024, revoking previous alternative measures. Villalba had also been accused of repeatedly delaying preliminary hearings set for September 10, 2024, which the prosecution argued was a tactic to avoid the proceedings.

However, the JEM found Villalba's accusations to be unfounded. Not only was the complaint rejected and archived, but the magistrates also highly praised Judge Legal's conduct. Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice, Manuel Ramírez Candia, explained that the pre-trial detention was fully justified due to the defense's "dilatory actions" aimed at preventing the trial's progress. He also clarified that the notice period for the hearing was not an issue, as it was not the first summons.

The JEM's decision effectively dismisses Villalba's claims and upholds Judge Legal's judicial actions, finding them to be in accordance with the law and justified by the circumstances of the case.