Sandoval-Gutierrez graduated at Alitagtag Elementary School as salutatorian. On May 5, 1989, she received a "Special Award" as "Outstanding Citizen of Alitagtag." At St. Bridget College she finishing her Music Teacher’s Course in piano. On May 1, 1992 she became its "Most Outstanding Alumna." On March 7, 2003, Batangas conferred upon her the "Dangal ng Batangan Award".[1]
She worked as a judicial assistant and attorney of the Supreme Court from 1973 to 1983.
In 1983, Sandoval-Gutierrez was appointed Branch 19, Manila Metropolitan Trial Court of Manila Judge before taking over Regional Trial Court Branch 37 in 1986.
She was promoted as an associate justice of the Court of Appeals by PresidentCorazon Aquino in 1991. She served in the appellate court as Chairwoman of the 8th division until her appointment to the Supreme Court in 2000.[2]
In pursuit of post-graduate studies attended Harvard Law School Courses in 1989 and 1994, taking up Constitutional Law, Advanced Constitutional Law, Legal Medicine, Family Law and Federal Courts. She also studied, as a fellow, American and International Law at the Academy of the American and International Law, University of Texas in Dallas. She attended the course on trial techniques at the National Judicial College, University of Nevada at Reno and took up management and delinquency control at the University of Southern California Delinquency Control Institute, Los Angeles.
Among many various honors, Sandoval-Gutierrez was the first recipient of the prestigious Cayetano Arellano Award as an Outstanding RTC Judge of the Philippines for 1990. She has also the distinction of being the first winner (First Prize Awardee, 1989) in the judicial essay/best written decision contest among Regional Trial Court women judges sponsored by the Philippine Women Judges Association yearly for having written the best “Proposed Innovations in Judicial Management and Procedure.”
From 2007 up to present, Sandoval-Gutierrez has served as the Dean of the Graduate School of Law of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.[3]
October 18, 2020, Sandoval-Gutierrez was appointed Judicial Integrity Board's vice chair, with a 2-year term. After the demise of Romeo Callejo, Sr., she headed the judicial body as actingchairperson.[4][5][6]
Family
Sandoval-Gutierrez was married to the late National Bureau of Investigation Assistant Director Diego H. Gutierrez, who died in 2002. They have three children: Aileen Marie is the City Prosecutor of Muntinlupa whose husband, Robert Victor C. Marcon, is the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 54, Lucena City; Francis Joseph, an Esquire (attorney-at-law), is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law. He works in the Federal Communications Commission, Washington, D.C.; James Gerard, also an Esquire, is a graduate of Boston University School of Law who lives and practices in New York City.
On May 14, 2000, Sandoval-Gutierrez was bestowed the “Ulirang Ina Award” by the National Mother's Day and Father's Day Foundation.
