Located in the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library, the Personal Papers of Judge Carlos C. Cadena are a collection of documents created by and relating to the late Carlos Cadena. The Personal Papers of Judge Carlos C. Cadena were donated to the St. Mary’s University School of Law by Catherine Meany, one of Judge Cadena’s children.

Judge Carlos Cadena was born in San Antonio, Texas on October 11, 1917 to two immigrant parents. Judge Cadena was educated at St. Henry’s Academy in San Antonio, then attended the University of Texas, graduating in 1940 with his LL. B. He worked as an attorney in San Antonio for a period before being drafted for World War II in 1943. Upon his return he continued to practice law and became city attorney for San Antonio in 1954. During that same year, he argued his most famous case, Hernandez v. Texas, which secured the right to serve on a jury for Mexican Americans and Latinos. Judge Carlos Cadena joined the St. Mary’s School of Law faculty from 1952 to 1954 and 1961 to 1965, retiring from his professorship to join the 4th Court of Appeals. Judge Cadena was later appointed Chief Justice of this court. He died in 2001 from complications related to lung cancer.

This collection was processed first by Catherine Meany, then by the Public History Law Fellows John Cadena, Glory Turnbull, and Antonio Coffee.

Repository: 

Sarita Kenedy East Law Library

San Antonio, Texas 78228

(210) 436-3435

To access the finding aid for this collection, please click here: