Carlos Cadena (1918 - 2001) was a lawyer, activist and judge based in San Antonio, Texas.

Cadena graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Texas Law School in 1940. His legal practice began after a term as a radio operator in the US Army Air Corps during World War II. He was later hired to teach law at St. Mary's University.

Cadena worked with fellow attorney Gus Garcia in the landmark case Hernandez v. Texas (1954), arguing before the US Supreme Court for the end of a practice of systematic exclusion of Hispanics from jury service in Jackson County, Texas. The high court ruled that people could not be excluded from jury duty based on their national origin. Even though Mexican-Americans composed more than 10% of the county's population, no person of Mexican ancestry had served in a jury there in over 25 years.

Cadena was still teaching law at St. Mary's when, in 1965, Texas governor John Connolly appointed him an associate justice on the 4th Court of Appeals. He was named the Court's chief justice in 1977 by then governor Dolph Briscoe. Cadena held this position until his retirement in 1990.

• Texas House Resolution Honoring Carlos Cadena

• Hernandez v. State of Texas

• Hispanic Vista article on Carlos Cadena, Gus Garcia and their Civil Rights efforts