NORTHERN MARIANAS JUDICIARY
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Superior Court judges, Utah court retired Judge Steve Hansen and judiciary staff
STRUCKBY TYPHOON SOUDELOR
LAWANDTHE FRESHMAN LEGISLATOR
DRUG COURT TEAM
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
Tableof Contents M e ssa g e f r o m t h e Ch i e f 3 Ju st i c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H i g h l i g h t s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4. . Su p r e m e Co u r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Su p e r i o r Co u r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ju d i c i a r y Ad m i n i st r a t i v e Of f i c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La w Re v i si o n Co m m i ssi o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ar o u n d t h e Ju d i c i a r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ju d i c i a l Co u n c i l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N o r t h e r n M a r i a n a s Ju d i c i a r y H i st o r i c a l So c i e t y . . . . Re t i r e d Ju d g e H a n se n H e l p s Dr u g Co u r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Li f e o f a La w Cl e r k ................................................... Ad m i ssi o n s Ce r e m o n y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La n g u a g e Ac c e ss Po l i c y a n d Pl a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In t he N e w s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13 18 33 37 39 43 45 47 48 49 50 51
3
Th e Ju diciar y
| 2015 Annual Report
"WEWILLREMEMBER2015AS DIFFICULTBUTSURMOUNTABLEAYEARWHEREWEROSEABOVE THECHALLENGESTOGETHER."
M essage f r om t h e Ch ief Ju st ice This year has been one of the m ost challenging but r ew ar ding tim e for the Judiciar y and for the people of the Com m onw ealth. We have seen and exper ienced the devastating im pact of Typhoon Soudelor. Never theless, even in the m idst of adver sity, the Judiciar y and its fam ilies and fr iends cam e together r estor ing Gum a' Hustisia. Because of this, w e w er e able open our door s to the 19th Nor ther n JusticeCom Alexandro C. ealth Castro Legislatur e, the Office of the Attor ney MChief ar ianas m onw conducts meeting Defender with justices?sJohn A. Gener al, aPublic Office and M icr onesian Legal Ser vices Manglona and Perry B. Inos and Judge Cor por ation, pr oviding space, pow er , w ater , and inter net. Un Teresa K. Kim-Tenorio. Dang'kulu na Si Yu'us m a'ase w ho m ade this possible, even w ith
HIGHLIGHTS
JA NUA RY The Commonwealth Judiciary conducted its sixth Law and the Freshman Legislator seminar on Thursday, January 7, 2015, at the Guma' Hustisia. The biennial half-day event included a condense course on the Covenant and Constitution, an overview of the judiciary process, and an opportunity for interactive dialogue between first-time representatives and members of the judiciary.
The freshman legislators in attendance included Senator Sixto K. Igisomar and representatives-elect Blas Jonathan "BJ" T. Attao, Angel A. Demapan, Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero, Glenn L. Maratita, Edwin K. Propst, Vinson Edward "Vinnie" F. Sablan, and Francis S. Taimanao. Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro, standing, addressesthe judiciary in a general assembly held Friday, August 21, 2015 in the Supreme Court courtroom. Also in photo (from left): Judge Joseph N. Camacho, Justice John A. Manglona, Castro, Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja, Judge David A. Wiseman, Justice Perry B. Inos TheJudge LawTeresa and the Freshman Legislator and K. Kim-Tenorio.
seminar was sponsored by the NMI Judiciary Historical Society. (See more on page 47.)
"Now is the time for all three branches to come together..."
? CHI EF JU ST I CE A L EX A NDRO C. CA ST RO
Newly elected Attorney General Ed
Attorney General Ed Manibusan prepares to be sworn in
HIGHLIGHTS
APRIL-JUNE The 2015 Law Day Proclamation Signing and Attorney Admissions Ceremony were held on Thursday, April 23, 2015, in the Supreme Court courtroom. Three applicants were sworn in - Kimberly Kay King-Hinds, A.Michailian T. McLoughlin, and Cong Nie. Ms. King-Hinds obtained her J.D. from the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law. Mr. McLoughlin attended Golden Gate University School of Law. Mr Nie went to Vanderbilt Law School. This year's Law Day theme was "Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law." Law Day is celebrated on May 1st.
From the histor ic swear ing in of the fir st elected Attor ney Gener al to the success of the annual M ock Tr ial competition, the j udiciar y has many things to celebr ate. Scroll down the photo galler y, left, to view some snapshots.
HIGHLIGHTS
JULY
NETWORK F IBU ER TIC BLL ET SN O TOAPG ECJAO SAPJSUDICIARY SE RVICES An undersea, fiber-optic cable that supplies Internet connectivity to the July 8-27, 2015
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands snapped on July 8, 2015, taking tens of thousands of people offline.was The incident disconnected the Commonwealth's and Service - E-file internet, telecom, banking transactions, and airline flights. suspended by court order - Online legal research was affected - Payments of fines and fees were done manually - Video conferencing to Tinian and Rota were affected - Long distance service Video Source: were temporarily KUAMNEWS interrupted YouTube channel.
Th e Ju diciar y r em ain ed The Judiciary, other open du r inalong g t h with is t im e.government agencies and businesses were affected.
AUGUST
SOUDELORSTRIKESSAIPAN The devastating typhoon that slammed into Saipan in the early morning of August 2, 2015, left nearly 55,000 Saipan residents without power, water, and, in some serious cases, a roof over their heads. The judiciary sustained damages to the interior and exterior of the building. After almost one year since the devastation, reconstruction is ongoing and various forms of aid have been dispersed to those in need.
HIGHLIGHTS
SEPTEM BER FEMA OFFERS ASSISTANCE The Federal Emergency Management Agency?s (FEMA) Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) was deployed to Saipan days prior to Typhoon Soudelor making landfall. After Typhoon Soudelor impacted Saipan, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration on August 5, 2015 for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, making federal assistance available to aid individuals and communities in the recovery efforts for damages that occurred August 1-3, 2015 and appointed a Federal Coordinating Officer to lead the Federal team. FEMA immediately started to mobilize its federal partners in support of recovery efforts. FEMA provided resources including water, power poles, and generators. The Judiciary was a recipient of one generator (see photo on right).
CUC The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) worked diligently to restore power and water to the entire island of Saipan which was left in darkness after Typhoon Soudelor. It took three months for entire restoration. CUC linemen received support and assistance from their peers in Rota, Tinian, Guam, Palau, Yap, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Rhode Island. The Guma' Hustisia's power and water supply were restored in mid-September. Three power poles around the building were replaced after suffering damages from the typhoon.
In October 2015, Associate judges David A. Wiseman and Teresa K. Kim-Tenorio and Acting Director of Courts Sonia A. Camacho participated in the National Summit on Human Trafficking and the State Courts in New York. The conference was held on October 7th-9th, and was sponsored by and planned in partnership with the State Justice Institute, the Conference of Chief Justices, the Conference of State Court Administrators, the National Center for State Courts, the Human Trafficking and State Courts Collaborative, the New York State Bar Association, the Women's Bar From right: Former Justice the Appellate of the Supreme Court of the Association of Presiding the State ofofNew York, Division and the New State of New York Betty Weinberg Ellerin, then-Chief Judge of NY State and Chief Judge of York State Office of Court Administration.
the Court of Appeals Jonathan Lippman, and Acting Director of Courts Sonia A. Camacho.
The program explored the serious and challenging issue of human trafficking from a judicial perspective, examined ways to work with justice partners in our communities to better address trafficking, and showcased different court models from all around the country. In addition, it provided state teams with a prime opportunity to network with other court leaders and to develop concrete steps to further advance a response to human trafficking in each team's own state. Featured speakers and panelists included Cindy McCain, the chair of the Arizona Human Trafficking Council; Judge Fernando Camacho, originator of K. Kim-Tenorio, From right: Superior Court judges David A. Wiseman and Teresa SJ I member Marsha Rabiteau, and Acting Director of Courts the first human trafficking court in New York; Sonia A. Camacho.
OCTOBER NATIONALSUMMITON HUMANTRAFFICKINGAND THESTATECOURTS
NOVEMBER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPM ENT The Judiciar y held its annual tw o-day pr ofessional developm ent tr ainings on M onday, Novem ber 23, 2015, at the Gum a' Hustisia and on Tuesday, Novem ber 24, at the Pacific Islands Club. On the second day, an Aw ar ds Cer em ony w as held and four em ployees r eceived r ecognition for m ater ially contr ibuting to the m aintenance of liber ty under law thr ough the fair and im par tial adm inistr ation of justice in the Com m onw ealth of the Nor ther n M ar iana Islands. The Pr esiding Judge Aw ar d w as given to Sonia A. Cam acho, Acting Dir ector of Cour ts. Judicial Assistant Vivian S. Dela Cr uz r eceived the Super ior Cour t Aw ar d. Law Cler k Nicole M . Tor r es w as aw ar ded the Chief Justice Aw ar d. The r ecipient of the Supr em e Cour t Aw ar d w as Judicial Assistant M ar tha B. M endiola.
Chief Justice A lexandro C. Castro presents the Chief Justice Award to Nicole M . Torres.
Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja presents the Superior Court Award to Vivian S. Dela Cruz.
Thefollowingistheagendafor theProfessional Development TrainingheldonNovember 23-24,2015,at theGuma' HustisiaandPacificIslandsClub. Monday, Novem ber 23, 2015 Tim e
Topic
1:00 ? 1:15 p.m .
I nt r oduct ion
1:15 ? 2:15 p.m .
Per sonnel Regulat ions
2:30 ? 3:30 p.m .
Per sonnel Regulat ions (Cont inuat ion)
3:30 ? 4:30 p.m .
Cust om er Exellence (Phone Et iquet t e)
Pr esent er
Par t icipant s
Locat ion
Assem bly
Supr em e Cour t
Judiciar y Per sonnel
Supr em e Cour t
General Counsel Mike St anker
Judiciar y Per sonnel
Supr em e Cour t
Jim Ar enovski
Judiciar y Per sonnel
Supr em e Cour t
General General Counsel Mike St anker
Tuesday, Novem ber 24, 2015 Tim e
Topic
Pr esent er
Par t icipant s
Locat ion
8:00 ? 9:00 a.m .
Language Access Plan and Policy (LAPP)
Sonia A. Cam acho
Judiciar y Per sonnel
Napu Room Pacif ic I slands Club
9:10 ? 10:40 a.m .
Dr ug Cour t
Judge D. Wisem an Wisem an
Judiciar y Per sonnel
Napu Room Pacif ic I slands Club
Cer t if icat e Awar ds f or Judiciar y St af f
General
Assem bly
10:40 ? 10:50 a.m .
Napu Room Pacif ic I slands Club
10:30 ? 11:00 a.m .
Bench Meet ing
Chief Just ice
Just ices and Judges
Annex Room
11:00 ? 12:00 noon
Chief Just ice/ Supr em e Cour t General
Assem bly
Char ley?s Cabar et
12:00 ? 1:00 p.m .
Thanksgiving Luncheon f or General Judiciar y Per sonnel
Assem bly
Char ley?s Cabar et Pacif ic I slands Club
MOVINGFORWARDTOGETHER
ACThe OMjudiciary MUNIT Y and its friends and families came together in the aftermath of what was later declared a super typhoon to clear the debris that blanketed the R ECOVERINGFROM judiciary. Justices, judges, law clerks, staff, and others who were affected by the typhoon at home helped restore the Guma Hustisia inside and out. D EVEven ASTafter ATIO N the typhoon, the judiciary kept its spirits up during recovery with students and government agencies visiting the court to sing Christmas carols in Students from K agman High School per for med Chr istmas carols for Judiciar y staff. December of that year.
DECEMBER
From left: Staff Attor ney Sheila Tr ianni, Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho and Publications Cler k M enalie Pacia-Hidalgo.
Video Source: Pacific News Center Year in Review, Thomas Manglona YouTube Channel
Deputy Cler k Sabr ina Dela Cr uz smiles as she holds her daughter, Ava.
SUPREME COURT
Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro, Associate Justice Per r y B. I nos, and Associate Justice John A. M anglona
Th e Ju diciar y | Su pr em e Cou r t
15
The Supr em e Cour t is the highest cour t in the Nor ther n M ar iana Islands. It w as established in 1989, by Public Law 6-25, to r eview appealed decisions of the NM I Super ior Cour t. Pr ior to the establishm ent of the Supr em e Cour t, appellate jur isdiction w as vested in the Distr ict Cour t of the Nor ther n M ar iana Islands. For the fir st fifteen year s follow ing the cr eation of the Supr em e Cour t, the Covenant pr ovided that appeals of the Supr em e Cour t?s decisions w er e m ade to the United States Cour t of Appeals for the Ninth Cir cuit. Beginning in M ay 2004, all appeals fr om the Supr em e Cour t w er e filed w ith the United States Supr em e Cour t. The Supr em e Cour t is com posed of a chief justice and tw o associate justices w ho ar e nom inated by the Gover nor and confir m ed by the Senate. Each justice is initially appointed for an eight-year ter m , after w hich he or she is subject to a r etention election. The fir st justices of the Supr em e Cour t w er e Chief Justice Jose C. Dela Cr uz, Associate Justice Ram on G. Villagom ez, and Associate Justice Jesus C. Bor ja. The cur r ent justices ar e Chief Justice Alexandr o C. Castr o, Associate Justice John A. M anglona, and Associate Justice Per r y B. Inos. The Office of the Supr em e Cour t Cler k of Cour t assists the Cour t in dischar ging its constitutional r esponsibilities. The Cler k?s Office r eceives, pr ocesses, and m aintains per m anent r ecor ds of appeals, w r its and petitions, and bar disciplinar y cases. The Cler k of the Supr em e Cour t,
appointed by the Chief Justice, super vises the scheduling and assignm ent of cases, over sees the distr ibution and publication of Supr em e Cour t opinions and adm inistr ative r ules and or der s, and decides cer tain pr ocedur al m otions filed w ith the Cour t.
" Deanna M. Ogo Clerk of the Supreme Cour t
CNMI Supr em e Cour t Case Filings 2014
2015
Cr im inal
8
4
Civil
5
8
Pet it ions
6
2
Pr o Hac Vice
2
3
Cer t if ied Legal I nt er n
1
0
Disciplinar y
1
0
Adm inist rat ive
1
0
Cer t if ied Quest ion
1
0
Fam ily
1
1
Traf f ic
0
1
TOTAL
26
19
Dism issed - Cour t
5
1
Dism issed - Volunt ar y
4
7
Pet it ion Wit hdrawn
0
2
Opinions
21
19
TOTAL
30
29
Fir st Quar t er
4
5
Second Quar t er
3
8
Thir d Quar t er
10
6
Four t h Quar t er
2
4
TOTAL
19
23
CASES FI LED
CASE DI SPOSI TI ONS
ORAL ARGUMENTS HEARD
PUBLI SHED OPI NI ONS Commonwealth v. Guiao, 2015 MP 01
Cast r o, Manglona, Camacho
Commonwealth v. Lizama, 2015 MP 02
Cast r o, Manglona, Inos
In re the Matter of Estate of Olopai, 2015 MP 03
Castro, Manglona, I nos
Commonwealth v. Bashar, 2015 MP 04
Cast r o, Manglona, Inos
Inos v. Inos, 2015 MP 05
Torres, Soll, Bellas
Commonwealth v. Lot No. 353 New G, Lot No. 2016-IR/W, 2015 MP 06
Manglona, Wiseman, Soll
In re Commonwealth, 2015 MP 07
Castro, Manglona, I nos
Commonwealth v. Borja, 2015 MP 08
Castro, Manglona, I nos
In re Ogumoro, 2015 MP 09
Manglona, Torres, Soll
In re Ogumoro, 2015 MP 10
Manglona, Torres, Soll
In re the Matter of Woodruff, 2015 MP 11
Cast r o, Manglona, Soll
Commonwealth v. Rios, 2015 MP 12
Castro, Manglona, I nos
Commonwealth v. Reiong, 2015 MP 13
Castro, Manglona, Inos
Commonwealth v. Kendall, 2015 MP 14
Castro, Manglona, Inos
Commonwealth v. Fitial, 2015 MP 15
Castro, Manglona, I nos
Commonwealth v. Jackson, 2015 MP 16
Cast r o, Manglona, Inos
Commonwealth v. Johnson, 2015 MP 17
Manglona, Bellas, Camacho
Caiyun Mu v. Hyoun Min Oh, 2015 MP 18
Cast r o, Manglona, Camacho
Commonwealth v. Hocog, 2015 MP 19
Castro, Manglona, I nos
Superior Court Courtroom, Saipan
Judge Teresa K . K im-Tenor io,Judge David A. Wiseman, Presiding Judge Rober to C. Nar aj a, Judge K enneth L . Govendo, and Judge Joseph N. Camacho
Super ior Cour t Quar ter ly Case Filings 2015
Civil
Criminal
Small
Traffic
Claims
PATRICKV. DIAZ, CLERKOFCOURT
Of the 222 criminal cases filed, fifty-six (56) were domestics violence and one (1) involved sexual abuse of a minor.
Juvenile
Jan. t o Mar.
57
54
70
870
160
10
Apr. t o June
56
82
70
830
159
4
July t o Sept .
34
52
72
455
135
5
Oct . t o Dec.
57
34
77
352
170
2
204
222
289
2507
624
21
Tot al
CASEFILING:OFFICE OFTHECLERKOFTHE SUPERIORCOURT
Family Court
The Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court reports focus on data compiled for all cases filed in calendar year 2015. The data in the tables and charts are based on inventory of cases gathered from the JustWare Case Management System, case registers and previous annual reports.
From left, Superior Court staff: Delia Magofna, Adelpha Kapileo, Okalani Shiprit, and George Lisua.
SUPERIORCOURTCASEFILINGS(2010-15) Year
Civil Cases
Criminal Family Cases Court Cases
Small Claims
Traffic Cases
TOTAL
2010
368
230
657
976
2422
4653
2011
352
314
647
929
3743
5985
2012
314
240
614
602
2103
3873
2013
247
250
677
387
3,316
4,877
2014
258
147
582
544
3,696
5,227
2015
204
222
645
289
2,507
3,867
FAMILYCOURT
CASESFILED(byisland) 2015
Civil
Criminal Family Small Traffic Tot al Court Claims
Case Type Adopt ion
Saipan
204
204
609
249
2480
3746
Rot a
0
7
15
30
2
54
Tinian
0
11
21
10
25
67
Rot a
Tinian
Tot al
40
1
1
42
2
0
0
2
Change of Name
24
1
0
25
Civil Commit ment
10
0
0
10
172
8
6
186
0
0
0
0
202
2
11
215
Guardianship
53
1
0
54
Pat ernit y
48
2
2
52
URESA
25
0
0
25
UCCJA
0
0
0
0
Warship
12
0
1
13
Juvenile
21
0
0
21
609
15
21
645
Annulment
Divorce Emancipat ion Family Prot ect ion Act
Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja and Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo share a light conversation prior to the Professional Development Awards Ceremony at the Pacific Islands Club on Tuesday, November 24, 2015.
Saipan
Tot al
COURT-APPOINTEDCOUNSELFORINDIGENTS The following table shows the number of court appointed counsel for indigent litigants for the following types of cases: 2015 TOTAL
Civil
Criminal
Family
Juvenile
Small
Traffic
Tot al
36
35
35
15
8
4
133
APPEALEDCASES
Clockwise from left: Adeline Tereyama, Okalani Shiprit, Monica Manibusan, and Daisy Mendiola
Fourteen cases were appealed to the Supreme Court. 2015 Cert ified Cases
Civil
Criminal
Traffic
Family Court
Tot al
5
7
1
1
14
Clockwise from left: Berlianne Higgins, Eva P. Calvo, Nikita Cabrera and Jack Deleon Guerrerol.
CUSTOMERSERVICECOUNTER The Office of the Clerk of Court also provides the general public with various services such as the processing of traffic clearances, traffic histories, criminal clearances, and bench warrants as well as copying of documents. Below is the yearly tally of activities of our Customer Service Counter. 2015 Saipan
Criminal Traffic Clearance Traffic Hist ory Clearance 9,379 9,424 867
Tot al 19,670
Tinian
262
220
5
487
Rot a
175
117
1
293
Tot al
9,816
9,761
873
20,450
Judiciary staff participate in an "Appeals Training" conducted by Superiror Court Law Clerk Conrad Ohashi in the former Law Library.
Superior Court staff, from left, Sabrina Dela Cruz, Eva Calvo, and Adelpha Kapileo at one of the booths displayed in the atrium of the Guma' Hustisia during Parole and Probation week in July.
Superior Court Judges David A. Wiseman, Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja and Kenneth L. Govendo with retired judge Steven Hansen who assisted the NMI in establishing a drug court.
COMPACTIMPACTREPORT The following is a chart on ethnicities of defendants and/or plaintiffs in all civil, criminal, traffic, small claims and family court cases who appeared before the Superior Court during fiscal years 2015. This data was used to generate a compact impact report that was submitted to the Department of Commerce, Office of the Governor. All information and data in this report was extracted from the Justware Case Management System that stores all the case information including ethnicity of litigants. The following chart provides data from January 1 to December 31, 2015. This chart also provides the percentage of Freely Associated States (FAS) contact with the court system as compared to other ethnicities. Histor ical Data Year 2015 Januar y 1 to December 31, 2015
YEAR
2015
Number of Defendants/Plaintiff: Total Par ties
3,477
Total FAS
245
Feder ated States of M icronesia
145
Republic of Palau
102
Republic of M ar shall I slands
0
CNM I *
1,325
OTHER* *
1,905
% of Total FAS Par ties
7.0%
?CNMI? includes Chamorro and Carolinians only. ?Others? include African American, Asian Pacific Islanders, Bangladesh, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Unknown, Guam, and Thailand.
26
Th e Ju diciar y | Recor der 's Of f ice
STAFF
COMMONWEALTHRECORDER'SOFFICE
Lu cy S. Deleon Gu er r er o Commonwealth Recorder
Accountant I I Evelyn P. Calvo and Commonwealth Recorder Lucy S. Deleon Guerrero
M ich elle A. M en diola Administrative Specialist
The Commonwealth Recorder's Office (CRO) is responsible for the recording or filing of documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, affidavits, power of attorneys, marriage certificates, birth certificates, land documents, etc. Documents are preserved and archived for reproduction and research. The CRO registers all birth, death and public marriages for the CNMI. Records are available to the public to search, view and copy for a fee, as allowed by law. The total revenue collected by CRO in 2015 was $61,172.25.
BI RTH CERTI FI CATES REQUESTED JAN
FEB
M AR
APR
M AY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
TOTAL
Saipan
34
75
70
70
57
89
136
33
90
81
70
34
839
Tinian
0
1
1
2
1
4
0
1
1
3
0
1
15
Rota
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
3
0
1
0
3
10
35
76
71
72
60
93
136
37
91
85
70
38
864
TOTAL
DEATH CERTI FI CATES REQUESTED JAN
FEB
M AR
APR
M AY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
TOTAL
SAI PAN
1
2
0
0
1
0
5
0
3
4
0
0
16
TI NI AN
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
ROTA
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TOTAL
1
2
0
0
1
0
5
0
3
4
0
0
16
M AR
APR
M AY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
TOTAL
M ARRI AGE CERTI FI CATES FI L ED JAN
FEB
FI L ED
15
20
22
17
33
31
33
11
15
32
19
31
277
SPN-Cer t
17
31
24
26
21
20
21
10
17
24
19
7
237
SPN-Non
8
21
2
3
1
2
4
2
4
4
2
1
54
TI Q-Cer t
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
5
TI Q-Non
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
ROP-Cer t
5
1
0
1
2
0
0
1
4
6
0
0
20
ROP-Non
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
L AND DOCUM ENTS & OTHERS JAN
FEB
M AR
APR
M AY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
TOTAL
Docs.
152
202
238
236
189
236
139
180
322
271
260
253
2,678
Pages
537
656
369
1098
596
1050
591
869
1510
1032
825
1350
10,483
Docs.
4
3
4
5
3
2
0
11
4
1
3
4
44
Pages
7
4
23
6
11
14
0
42
35
0
0
6
148
Docs.
1
4
1
2
0
0
0
6
2
6
2
2
26
Pages
2
4
2
3
0
0
0
11
15
7
2
4
50
Cer t. of Title
2
2
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
10
Cer t. of Docs.
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
5
Photocopies
62
55
228
109
182
217
279
195
265
258
370
82
2.302
Saipan
Tinian
Rota
29
Th e Ju diciar y | Fam ily Cou r t Division FAM ILY COURT DIVISION
The Fam ily Cour t Division (FCD) pr ovides adm inist rat ive suppor t t o t he Fam ily cour t . The st af f assist s t he Cler k of Cour t in t he pr ocessing of pleadings and dist r ibut ion of or der f or Pr o Se lit igant s who appear bef or e t he Fam ily Cour t judge. I n addit ion t o it s adm inist rat ive f unct ion, t he FCD of f er client ser vices t o f am ilies and individuals who ar e seeking access t o t he cour t syst em by m aking it s Pr o Se cent er available and user f r iendly.
The FCD cont inues t o st r ive t o m eet t he m andat es of t he Fam ily Cour t Act of 1995 by allowing client s easy access t o cour t ser vices. This pr ocess r equir es t he st af f t o be pr oact ive in assist ing client s pr epar e and f ile com plaint s and pleadings so t hat t hey can appear bef or e a Judge in a t im ely m anner . A cont inuing challenge t o t he Fam ily Cour t Division st af f is how best t o addr ess t he needs of t hose client s t hat ar e not pr of icient in t he English language.
Nikit a S. Cabr era
Lani S. Deleon Guer r er o
Delia S. Calvo
Stop VAWA Project Assistant
Pro Se Client Service Assistant
Client Service Coordinator Rota
"The visibility of the Family Court Division isat a level that people feel comfortable coming in seeking assistance to address the crisis in their life." Joseph Kevin Villagom ez Family Court Manager
Pr o Se Assist ance
Or der / Pleadings Pickup
General I nf or m at ion
Januar y
178
79
172
Ref er ral t o Ot her s Ser vices 42
Febr uar y
145
82
102
33
Mar ch
159
80
124
25
Apr il
131
82
132
15
May
180
85
165
54
June
117
82
170
23
July
140
78
165
43
August
55
31
94
32
Sept em ber
123
63
162
59
Oct ober
164
85
191
74
Novem ber
134
62
154
56
Decem ber
149
64
165
40
1,675
873
1,796
496
TOTAL
1st Quar t er
2nd Quar t er
3r d Quar t er
4t h Quar t er
TOTAL
Hom e St udy
6
5
8
4
23
Alt er nat ive Disput e Resolut ion
10
15
10
9
44
DNA Pat er nit y Super vision
3
6
4
1
14
105
95
93
90
383
Separat ing Par ent ing Pr ogram
The Judicial Law Enforcement department of the judiciary branch consists of the Marshal Service Division and Office of Adult Probation. The divisions provide services to enforce court orders, ensure public safety, and address offenders rehabilitation needs. The divisions?staff members are commended for their diligence, resourcefulness and efficiency in rendering services and in meeting the divisions?missions, objectives, and legal obligations. The data provided on the next page give insight to the type of services rendered in 2015. The data will also help the divisions and judiciary leaders with planning of future programs and services, and provide accountability to the Commonwealth and the public. 2015 was a challenging year coupled with Typhoon Soudelor. Nevertheless, toward the latter part of the reporting year and recovery to-date, the two divisions succeeded in their collaboration and shared the law enforcement goal: to provide public safety in the courthouse. A safe year it was, and we aim for another safe one.
OFFICE OF ADULT PROBATION M ARSHAL SERVICE DIVISION
Ursula Lifoifoi-Aldan
LAWENFORCEMENT MARSHALSERVICES Courthouse Patrons:
Prohibited Items Confiscated
Su pr em e Cou r t - 1,024 - 1.35%
Sh ar p/ Blu n t Object s - 283 - 18.87%
Su per ior Cou r t - 29,479 - 38.73%
Flam m able M at er ials - 345 - 23%
Paym en t s f or Cou r t f in es an d f ees - 5,860 7.70%
Bet el Nu t s - 366 - 24.04%
TOTAL - 1,500
TOTAL - 76,106
Bench Warrants Executed
Inmates brought to the Courthouse Adu lt s - 542 - 92.3% Ju ven iles - 45 - 7.7%
Deputy M arshals M artin Conner (Tinian) and Joseph Ogo (Saipan).
Ot h er - 506 - 33.73%
Paym en t s f or Depar t m en t of Pu blic Saf et y - 39,746 - 52.22%
Ben ch War r an t s - 330 - 1.1% Su per ior Cou r t - 29,479 - 98.9% TOTAL - 29,809
TOTAL - 587 Jury Summons Ju r y Su m m on s - 1,211 - 76%
Click h er e f or com pr eh en sive st at ist ics.
Judiciar y Administrative Office
Acting Director of Courts Sonia A. Camacho
The Judiciar y's Human Resource Office (HRO) is managed solely m an R eso byH Mu ichelle V. Guer rero.u r c e Of f i c e The division is responsible for providing a comprehensive human resource progr am, including: policy development and administr ation; recr uitment of qualified applicants into a diver se wor kforce; employment and or ientation ser vices; administr ation of employee benefits, including health, retirement, and life insur ance progr ams; position classification and salar y administr ation; employee relations; and tr aining and professional development and more.
I a ppr eciate the honor of ser ving a s HR/Admin. Officer .
I n 2015, the HRO completed sever al significant accomplishments. On Febr uar y 19, the Judicial Council approved the Judiciar y's fir st ever Per sonnel Rules and on M arch 20 adopted the Anti-Discr imination Policy. The HRO coor dinated awareness sessions with Judiciar y staff for the newly adopted r ules and policy. The Co-op Education & Tr aining Progr am provided the Judiciar y with ten high school students inter ns throughout 2015. The HRO coor dinated with M ar ians High School to accommodate both the students' needs for tr aining and the Judiciar y's needs for assistance in var ious proj ects and its daily activities. On October 7, 2015, the Judiciar y attended the Public School System Job Fair held at the Saipan Wor ld Resor t. Additionally, the Summer L aw I nter nship progr am recr uited three law students who received tr aining at the Supreme Cour t. I nitially, the progr am was scheduled from July through August, but was shor tened due to Typhoon Soudelor. I n ear ly August, the events of Typhoon Soudelor affected the oper ations of the HRO and the Judiciar y as a whole. The annual L abor Day picnic was instead tur ned into a cleanup event of the Judiciar y grounds. Other activities outside of nor mal functions included providing assistance and suppor t to staff by offer ing water distr ibutions, mor ning refreshments and light lunches,
Human Resource/Administrative Officer Michelle V. Guerrero has been with the Judiciary since 2012.
1st Quar ter 2nd Quar ter 3r d Quar ter 4th Quar ter New Hires
9
6
2
7
Renewals
13
9
6
7
Position Restr uctures
1
0
1
0
Resignation/Ter mination/Contr act
3
6
3
7
Vacancies
3
4
4
2
Photo above, clockwise from left: Michelle Guerrero, Intern Leani Villagomez, Rebecca Santos, Nora Borja, Deanna Ogo, and Lynette Camacho gather for a photo in the atrium conference room.
Photo above and right: The Human Resource Office gathered donations from court personnel to help staff and their families who suffered damages and loss during the Typhoon. Some items included laundry detergent, dish soap, canned goods and clothing.
Suppor t and M aintenance I Justware NFORMATION TECHNOLOGY The biggest project for ISU in 2016 was the reestablishment of Justware Support and Maintenance. Justware is the CNMI Judiciary's Case Management System which is the backbone of the court's daily operations. Justware was activated in 2007 with a support and maintenance contract renewed annually until 2010, but due to lack of funding this was not renewed the following years. As a result, Justware was usable but all repairs and maintenance of the system had to be performed in-house under ISU personnel. In addition, there are certain limitations that only the developer of the system can perform, such as updates to newer versions and upgrades of system functions. Justware was in a stagnant state for almost 6 years, which in technology is considered a lifetime and was in dire need for attention. This project's biggest hurdle was funding, but with the joint effort of the entire Judiciary funding was secured through the Criminal Clockwise fromAgency's top left: Judiciary IT SystemGrant and Compact Justice Planning Justice Assistance Administrator Michael Villacrusis, Chief Justice Impact Funding under the Department of Commerce. Alexandro C. Castro, Presiding Judge Roberto The project Computer went through a grueling C. Naraja, Specialist Johnprocurement Demapan, process which lasted for about 8 months in which time, preparation IT Administrator Baccalaureate "LolI' Mao from for the reestablishment and maintenance was performed. This the High Court of of support American Samoa, and Acting included collection, and the programming to Director data of Courts Soniaplanning, A. Camacho. In June, reconnect data paths to the developer. The IT Administrator LolI visited the JudiciaryJudiciary?s Support and Maintenance Contract for Justware is currently in place and seeking assistance in JustWare. active. Updates and upgrades to the CMS have been and will continue to be implemented throughout the contract and fixes to
L AW REVI SION COMMI SSION
T
he Com m ission?s biggest pr ojects in 2015 r elated to its w ebsite, w w w.cnm ilaw.or g, its pr epar ation for a new har dcopy Com m onw ealth Code, and the Dr iver ?s Education Book .
Com m onw ealth legal m ater ials fr eely available on the w ebsite gr eatly expanded in 2015. The entir e Tr ust Ter r itor y Repor ter and Tr ust Ter r itor y Code w er e r eleased online to the excitem ent of not only the local legal com m unity but also all of M icr onesia. The Com m ission staff have fielded telephone calls fr om Guam , the M ar shal Islands, and Pohnpei about accessing this im por tant histor ical r esour ce. In addition to the Repor ter and Code, the cor r esponding Digest and Index ar e also available online. The Com m ission also r eleased Saipan: Ethnology of a War Devastated Island online under a cr eative com m ons license. This im por tant r esour ce has been used by both Com m onw ealth cour ts and legal pr actitioner s in r esear ching m atter s of custom ar y law. In addition to the new online offer ings, the Com m ission cr eated and published a CNM I Dr iver ?s Education Book in har dcopy. The book is available for sale. It has been tr anslated into Cham or r o, Car olinian, Tagolog, Chinese, Russian, Yapese, Japanese, Kor ean, Chukeese, Pohnpeian, and Palauan. We ar e still w aiting for a M ar hsallese tr anslation. The pur pose of the book is to pr ovide basic Com m onw ealth r ules of the r oad in a com pact and easy-to-use volum e for dr iver s and those lear ning how to dr ive. This pr oduct w as pr oduced w ith the encour agem ent of the Bur eau of M otor Vehicles.
STAFF M ich ael A. St an ker , Executive Director
Alber t A. Hick in g, Website and Office Manager
Sh eila N. Tr ian n i, Staff Attorney
M en alie S. Pacia- Hidalgo, Publications Clerk and Administrative Assistant
Jar on A. Robin son , Staff Attorney
The Com m ission?s staff w er e also har d at w or k cr eating a fully updated and annotated 2015 Com m onw ealth Code. W hile a RFP did not bear fr uit, the Com m ission has deter m ined that it w ill pr int a new har d copy code in-house and use tr aditional legal sized binder s as its binding m echanism . The Com m ission is excited for the 2016 r elease of new codebooks? the fir st in five year s. New pr oducts w er e not the only m ajor new s for the Law Revision Com m ission in 2015. The m em ber ship of the Com m ission and its Staff also exper ienced significant changes. The com position of the Com m ission changed w ith the additions of Senator Steve K. M esngon, Repr esentative Glenn L. M ar atita, and Attor ney Gener al Edw ar d M anibusan. These m em ber s pr ovided leader ship and m ade cr itical decisions r egar ding the long-ter m w ellbeing of Law Revision. The Com m ission also hir ed Jar on A. Robinson as its new est staff attor ney.
AROUND THE JUDICI ARY
Th e Ju diciar y
Legi sl at u r e Set s Up Tem por ar y Of f i ces i n Gu m a' Hu st i si a
The legislative building on Capitol Hill suffer ed pow er outages in the after m ath of Typhoon Soudelor. The Judiciar y opened its door s to the 19th Nor ther n M ar ianas Com m onw ealth Legislatur e and pr ovided offices to conduct sessions and business. Fr om M onday, August 24, 2015 thr ough Fr iday, August 28, 2015, the Senate, House of Repr esentatives, and Legislative Bur eau w or ked in the Gum a' Hustisia. The Supr em e Cour t cour tr oom , the Pr esiding Judge's cour tr oom , and Jur y Room A w er e available for the houses to hold sessions. W hile the legislatur e r outinely holds sessions at the Rota Judicial Center and Tinian Cour thouse, this is the fir st tim e it conducted sessions in the Gum a' Hustisia. In addition, the Legislative Bur eau staff utilized the law libr ar y as its tem por ar y hom e.
| 2015 Annual Report
40
41
Th e Ju diciar y
| 2015 Annual Report
Ju di ci ar y Pr ov i des Tem por ar y Of f i ces t o Gover n m en t Agen ci es an d M i cr on esi an Legal Ser v i ces Cor p.
"THISISAPULLQUOTETOHELP THEREADERSTAYINTERESTED ANDFOCUSED."
On August 2, 2015, Typhoon Soudelor caused m assive destr uction on Saipan for cing gover nm ent units to r elocate to other offices for w ater and pow er ser vices. The Judiciar y, in oper ation tw o days after the typhoon, w elcom ed the Office of the Attor ney Gener al, Public Defender 's Office and M icr onesian Legal Ser vices Cor por ation to use office spaces and inter net connection in the Gum a' Hustisia. The Judiciar y's Com puter Tr aining Center , sever al W itnesses' Room s, and the for m er Law Libr ar y w er e designated as tem por ar y offices for the affected agencies.
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Ju di ci ar y Aw ar ded $54,000 Joseph M . Diego, the U.S. Depar tm ent of Agr icultur e Ar ea II dir ector fr om Guam , announced the aw ar d of tw o gr ants to the CNM I judiciar y. The lar ger of the tw o gr ant aw ar ds, an Econom ic Im pact Gr ant for $34,000, pur chased and r etr ofitted a four w heel dr ive vehicle for the Judiciar y M ar shal Ser vice Division. The M ar shal?s Division uses vehicle in its ser vice of jur y sum m ons?and w ar r ants and in the tr anspor t of detainees and ar r estees pur suant to its statutor y duties. The second gr ant, a Com m unity Facilities Gr ant for $20,000, enabled the busy Super ior Cour t?s cler k of cour t?s office to pur chase new com puter w or kstations and a data base ser ver r eplacing obsolete technology. Patr ick V. Diaz, Super ior Cour t cler k of cour t said, ?The new equipm ent w ill pr ovide the staff of the cler k?s office w ith the tools to oper ate m or e efficiently in the tim ely pr ovision of ser vice to the public.? Judge Ter esa Kim -Tenor io, chair per son of the Judiciar y Gr ants
Th e Ju diciar y
| 2015 Annual Report
Com m ittee, said, ?Obtaining these gr ant aw ar ds pr ovided us all w ith a good deal of satisfaction. The w r iting and subm ission of the r equests w as an involved task; w e cer tainly appr eciate the help of Joseph Diego, Ar ea II dir ector , and Anthony Bar cinas, business/com m unity pr ogr am specialist of the USDA Guam office. The gr ant aw ar ds m ade a significant differ ence in how the M ar shal Ser vice Division and the Super ior Cour t?s cler k of cour t?s office ar e able to per for m their im por tant duties for the com m unity.? Judiciar y Law Enfor cem ent and Secur ity Dir ector Ur sula Lifoifoi-Aldan added, ?The M ar shal Ser vice Division and the Office of Adult Pr obation have a shar ed law enfor cem ent obligation along w ith other CNM I law enfor cem ent agencies to the public: Public Safety. This aw ar d is r esponsive to safety-based pr actices. It enhances officer safety for the m ar shals and the Bench War r ant Task For ce team w hen in the field and in the tr anspor t of detainees. It enhances the safety of detainees, as w ell as the com m unity at lar ge. Thank you USDA!?
Joseph M . Diego, U.S. Depar t m en t of Agr icu lt u r e Ar ea II Dir ect or
JUDICIALCOUNCIL The Judicial Council is a policymaking body of the Commonwealth courts. Established in 2009, the Council ensures fair, accountable, and efficient court management, and institutionalizes an administrative structure that strengthens public trust in the judicial branch. The Council consists of five voting members and at least three nonvoting members. The voting members include the justices of the Supreme Court, the presiding judge of the Superior Court, and an associate judge elected by all the Superior Court judges. The nonvoting members include the Director of Courts, the Clerk of the Supreme Court, the Clerk of the Superior Court, and the president of Northern Mariana Islands Bar Association. The council meets quarterly in the Supreme Court courtroom. Court management team reports/presents on administrative and operations.
Th e Ju dicial Cou n sel m em ber s in clu de:
Alexandr o C. Cast r o Chief Just ice
John A. Manglona Associat e Just ice
Per r y B. I nos Associat e Just ice
Rober t o C. Naraja Pr esiding Judge
Copy of the Council's agenda from September 30, 2015.
David A. Wisem an Associat e Judge
The Northern Marianas Judiciary Historical Society was founded in August 2004 as a non-profit corporation intent on increasing public knowledge of the judiciary. This goal would be achieved through acquisition and dissemination of knowlege concerning the history of the Commonwealth Judiciary and sponsorship of educational events and activities in the community. The Summer Pre-Law Program, the biennial Law and the Freshman Legislator seminar, and the Judges in the Classroom outreach efforts have provided for regular knowledge and experience interchanges. For the younger members of our society the Mock Trial and the Attorney General?s Cup competitions have been annual focuses of the Society?s attention and resources. Additionally, the Society has acquired and preserved documents, objects of personal property, memorabilia and pictures associated with the persons and events of the Judiciary. Displays are maintained for visitors?viewing within the courts of the Commonwealth. The Board of Trustees is comprised of the Chief Justice as the Honorary Chairman, the two Associate Justices, the Presiding Judge and five members of the community at large.
Ref lection on the Histor ical Society JAMES W. STOWELL Executive Director and Grants Administrator Topping my list of the most beneficial Judiciary Historical Society programs is the Law and the Freshmen Legislators seminar conducted by the Judiciary shortly after the biennial elections. First time legislators are invited to come and spend the morning at the Judiciary refreshing their civics education and learning how legislative and the judiciary process mesh. This is a great learning opportunity for anybody in attendance, benefiting from speakers who know the subject best. The Historical Society sponsors a luncheon following the academic portion of the program. At that time the legislators have the opportunity to talk one on one with the Chief Justice, the Presiding Judge, and the other justices and judges who have participated. Great conversations have ensued. The legislators seem to find the half day of job related education and interaction with the judges extremely valuable. They have always expressed their appreciation and urged a continuation of the program for future legislators.
ISMYHOPE " ITNEW WAYS
CANBEFOUND With a larger budget I would hope the Historic Society will finds ways to do similar AN D educational seminars for a variety of audiences. AFHow FOR DED TO long have I been here, where did I come from and why? Those common questions were often asked of me twenty-five years ago when I first set foot on Saipan. I arrived EXhere PAonND TH June 6,E 1991 with Lee Holmes, cable television pioneer, to become the manager of Saipan Cable Television in what turned out to be the company?s best year of service SO CIE TY 'Sof existence before merger with Hillblom?s Marianas Cablevision. It was a but last year rougher introduction to the semi-tropics than this naïve California boy had expected MIS SION. when he departed the comforts of the west coast, but after 6- 12 months experiencing the
"
wonderful climate, ocean, golfing opportunities and mix of friendly people my thoughts turned from returning back to going forward to explore and learn more about the
RETIREDJUDGE HANSENHELPSWITH DRUGCOURT Through the help of Chief Judge John Clifford Wallace of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, retired judge Steve Hansen was on island for a period of six months to assist Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman with the CNMI Drug Court. Hansen is from Utah where he helped establish two drug courts. He is a strong supporter of the plea in abeyance approach. In a Saipan Tribune article, Hansen said that drug courts work and are backed by science. "This isn't just some program that we've come up with out of the blue, that we're experimenting with. This is a program that's been proven established and it works throughout the United States."
Background photo shows Judge Hansen presenting to judiciary staff at its annual professional development training held at the Pacific Islands Club on November 23-24, 2015.
LAWCLERKONTHEJOB
Shown above are the Supreme Court three law clerks: Joseph M. Hallahan, Clifford Kato, and Nicole Torres-Ripple. This page features an interview with Joe.
Joseph M . Hallahan Law Clerk to Justice John A. Manglona
On April 23, 2015, Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro administered the attorney's oath for Kimberly Kay King-Hinds, A. Michailian T. McLoughlin, and Cong Nie. King-Hinds received her bachelor 's degree from Loyola Marymount University and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law.
ATTORNEY ADMISSIONS CEREMONY
McLoughlin received his bachelor 's degree from Eastern Michigan University and J.D. from the Golden Gate University School of Law. Nie received his bachlor 's degree from Tsinghua University in China and J.D. from the Vanderbilt Law School. An attorney may be admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth without taking the CNMI Bar Examination, provided that the attorney has been admitted to practice law in another U.S. jurisdiction, is in good standing, and is an employee of the Commonwealth government or Micronesian Legal Services. This bar admission is limited to a period of four consecutive years. In 2015, there were seven (7) limited admissions.
Nora V. Borja, Bar Administrator
On Novem ber 3, 2015, t he Com m onwealt h Supr em e Cour t adopt ed t he Nor t her n Mar iana I slands Judiciar y Language Access Policy and Plan, which pr ovides a bluepr int t o develop and im plem ent language access ser vices wit hin t he Nor t her n Mar ianas Judicial Branch, com plet e wit h st andar ds f or qualif ied int er pr et er s and t ranslat or s, t rained cour t st af f and judges, and m ult i-lingual signage and docum ent s.
L ANGUAGE ACCESS POL I CY AND PL AN
The Judiciar y r ecognizes t he need t o pr ovide m eaningf ul and t im ely language access ser vices t o lim it ed English pr of icient (LEP) per sons who com e in daily cont act wit h t he Judicial branch. This policy m oves a st ep f ur t her by pr om ot ing t he accuracy and int egr it y of cour t pr oceedings, pr eser ving const it ut ional pr inciples of f air ness and access t o just ice, and ensur ing m axim um com m unicat ion bet ween t he Judiciar y and m em ber s of t he com m unit y wit h whom t he Judiciar y int eract s. The Judiciar y is conf ident t hat t he policy will r esult benef icial t o t he com m unit y. A copy of t he policy can be r et r ieved on ht t ps:/ / www.cnm ilaw.org/ pdf / or der s/ JAO-15-0023.pdf .
Background photo: Members of the judiciary and local bar convene at the Guma' Hustisia to discuss the Language Access Plan and Policy.
THE JUDI CI ARY
I N THE NEWS
Background photo: Law and the Freshman Legislator participants review their notes after a lecture from CNMI judges and justices in the annual event.
THEJUDICIARY
P.O. Box 502165 Saipan, MP 96950 www.just ice.gov.m p 670.236.9800