After graduating from law school, he promptly took the bar exams for the first and only time in September 1998 and successfully passed it with a strong general average of 83.05 percent.
He obtained his degree in B.A.Political Science from the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 1993 and graduated magna cum laude.
Also in 2004, he was elected President of the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL), Western Visayas Chapter (Region VI).
Tupas served as the Representative of the 5th District of Iloilo and a member of the Philippine Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).
An overwhelming majority of the senators voting 20–3, impeaching the former Chief Justice for when he was found guilty of "committing culpable violation of the Constitution and betraying the public trust.