Diego Portales was the first person to hold – as an interim – the highest position of the Department of Justice, Cult and Public Instruction, State Secretaryship created on February 1, 1837, under José Joaquín Prieto presidency. On June 26 that same year, Mariano Egaña was sworn in the position as titular.
The Department had as a mission to oversee “all as for the laws belong to the Government, related to the judicial system organization, regime and court offices”, as well as “promote and seek true, early and complete administration of justice.”
In 1887 this State Secretaryship was called Department of Justice and Public Instruction, getting separated from the Department of Cult. This situation was maintained until the end of the XIX century.
Only in July, 1899, with the Law Nº 1.297 issued, the Departments of Justice and Public Instruction were definitely separated.

Department of Jusctice, housed in the former Congress between 1974 and 1989.

In 1927 the law of Departments was issued, DFL Nº 7.912, that was the beginning of nine State Secretaryships: Interior, State, Treasury, Public Education, Justice, War, Navy, Public Works and Social Welfare. This decree ruled the Department of Justice until May 22, 1980, date that the Decree Law Nº 3.346 was issued, which set the portfolio’s Organic Law.
Later on, on January 23, 1981, came into force the current organic regulation.

Department of Justice hall, in Morandé street

The building that currently holds the Departmenof Justice is work of the Chilean architect Ricardo González Cortés, also the author of the two neighbouring buildings that surround this monumental and historical work, in Moneda and Morandé Streets.
Its design -of 12 floors- dates back to 1928 and its destiny was to hold the head office of the Seguro Obrero (Workers’ Insurance). This building is located in the middle of Santiago’s Civic District and holds the Justice portfolio since Novembre, 1989.
In fact, the Department of Justice did not have a head office before 1989, because of that it moved around several known buildings, as the current Metropolitan Region’s Judicial Assistance Corporation head office, located in the corner of Agustinas and Amunátegui streets, to later on settle down during almost the whole Military Regime in the former National Congress building (1974-1989).

Stained-glass window look on the fourth floor of the current Department building