Fernando Valdés Dal-Ré Explained

Fernando Valdés Dal-Ré (22 April 1945 – 9 March 2023) was a Spanish jurist, labour inspector and professor of labour law. He was the Solicitor General of Spain from 1986 to 1990 and a magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Spain from 2012 to 2020.

Biography

Born in Valladolid on 22 April 1945,^[1] Valdés completed a doctorate in law at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). He taught at the University of Salamanca (1977–1978) and the University of Valladolid (UVA; 1978–1991), then at UCM until his retirement. He was also an associate professor at the Paris Nanterre University (1986–2012) and Lumière University Lyon 2 (2005–2012) in France. He received an honorary doctorate from the UVA in 2015.^[2]

Valdés was a labour inspector from 1968 to 1974, and a clerk at the Constitutional Court of Spain (TC) from 1983 to 1985, and the Solicitor General of Spain from 1986 to 1990.^[2] He was a member of the first legislature of the Cortes of Castile and León, elected in 1983.^[3]

In July 2012, on the initiative of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Valdés was elected as a magistrate of the TC by the Congress of Deputies.^[4]

Valdés was arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife of 53 years in their Majadahonda home; she denied the allegations.^[5] The case was investigated by the Supreme Court of Spain.^[5] On 14 October 2020, while maintaining his innocence, Valdés resigned in order to protect the reputation of the Constitutional Court and to prepare for any upcoming trial; the jurisdiction of the case was transferred back to the local court.^[6] Prosecutors requested a ten-month prison sentence for Valdés in March 2021.^[7] The case was dropped in July 2022, as he was deemed unfit to testify due to his dementia.^[8]

Valdés died on 9 March 2023, at the age of 77.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Curriculum vitae completo. Full CV . . 9 March 2023 . 3 . Spanish.
2. News: El magistrado del Constitucional Fernando Valdés Dal-Ré será investido Doctor Honoris Causa por la UVA. Constitutional Court magistrate Fernando Valdés Dal-Ré will be made honorary doctor by the UVA. 9 March 2023 . . 5 November 2015 . Spanish.
3. Web site: Sesión Plenaria núm. 1. Plenary Session num. 1 . . 9 March 2023 . 5 . Spanish . 21 May 1983.
4. News: El Tribunal Constitucional ratifica a Pascual Sala como presidente. Constitutional Court ratifies Pascual Sala as president. 9 March 2023 . . . 24 July 2012 . Spanish.
5. News: Chiappe . Doménico . El Supremo abre causa al magistrado Fernando Valdés por violencia de género . Supreme Court investigates magistrate Fernando Valdés for gender violence. 9 March 2023 . . 15 September 2020 . Spanish.
6. News: Martialay . Ángela . El magistrado Fernando Valdés presenta su dimisión en el Constitucional tras ser procesado por malos tratos. Magistrate Fernando Valdés presents his resignation from the Constitutional Court after being investigated for mistreatment . 9 March 2023 . . 14 October 2020 . Spanish.
7. News: El Fiscal pide diez meses de prisión para el ex juez del TC acusado de maltrato. Prosecutor requests ten months in prison for former TC judge accused of mistreatment. 9 March 2023 . La Información . 10 March 2021 . Spanish.
8. News: Lucas-Torres . Carmen . El juez archiva la causa por malos tratos al ex magistrado del Constitucional Fernando Valdés por demencia sobrevenida. Judge drops mistreatment case against former Constitutional Court magistrate Fernando Valdés due to sudden dementia . 9 March 2023 . El Independiente . 8 July 2022 . Spanish.
9. News: Mor l'exmagistrat del Tribunal Constitucional Fernando Valdés per malaltia. Former Constitutional Court magistrate Fernando Valdés dies from illness. 9 March 2023 . . 9 March 2023 . Catalan.