His bachelor's degree political science and economics was obtained in 1972 from the Claremont Men's College, and his Juris Doctor in 1975 from the Santa Clara University School of Law.
After graduating law school in 1975, Cruz returned to Guam to work as consumer counsel in the Attorney General's Office.
Between Bordallo's two gubernatorial terms, Cruz established a private practice and served as minority legal counsel during the 15th and 16th Guam Legislatures.
There, he served as Guam's federal affairs liaison to the White House, United States Congress, and National Governors Association.
Several leaders of local Protestant churches testified against the confirmation, citing his "sexual preference" as disqualifying from being a good judge.
Cruz returned to politics after his retirement from the judiciary in 2002 to chair Madeleine Bordallo's first successful campaign as Guam's United States Delegate to Congress.
The Underwood-Aguon ticket won the primary but lost in the general election to the Republican incumbents, Governor Felix Perez Camacho and Lt.
On January 7, 2008, Cruz was the victor in a special election to fill a vacancy in the 29th Guam Legislature left by the unexpected passing of former Republican Speaker Tony Unpingco.
Cruz's nomination to be a Judge in the Superior Court of Guam in 1984 was marked with protests from evangelical and Baptist church groups because he was gay.