The Judicial Council of the State of Jalisco has removed Judge María Karina Dolores Rivas Gutiérrez from her position in Puerto Vallarta after accusations she allegedly favored a defendant in a child sexual abuse case and disregarded victims’ rights. The decision came less than 24 hours before International Women’s Day, amid growing scrutiny of her actions.
The measure was implemented as tension mounted, with women’s groups planning to demonstrate at the Regional Prosecutor’s Office, where the judge worked in the Justice Center for Women. Karina Dolores served as a control judge for oral trials, comprehensive justice for adolescents, and criminal execution specialized in violence against women.
The planned protest aimed to denounce Judge Dolores, who stands accused of conspiring with lawyers Jorge Valencia and Adán Cárdenas to allegedly benefit Carlos Jesús N., charged with abusing minors under the pretext of providing remedial classes.
Suspicions of bias intensified following revelations that lawyer Adán Cárdenas, who also teaches law at Centro Universitario de la Costa, previously served as administrator of the court where Judge Dolores worked. This connection fueled accusations of possible collusion to benefit the alleged perpetrator.
The judge and lawyers involved allegedly ignored the principle that sexual crimes against minors have no statute of limitations, a principle recently reaffirmed by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation on February 27. The SCJN established that such crimes must be investigated and punished regardless of when they occurred, citing the lasting impact on victims and their right to report when they feel ready.
The Judiciary’s decision to reassign Judge Dolores is viewed as a response to public pressure and allegations of possible negligence in handling a case involving vulnerable victims.