Mes s ag e f r o m t h e Ch i ef J u s t i c e

MESSAGE FROM CHIEF JUSTICE A LEX A N DRO C. CA ST RO

Two-Thousand Twenty-One was yet another year of uncertainty, and one marked by the continued disruption to normalcy that began in 2020. But just like in 2020, the people of the CNMI rose to the occasion and persevered, despite the spread of COVID-19 in the community the latter half of the year. Even though Judiciary staff was facing this uncertainty in their daily lives, they continued to diligently report to work and serve court patrons and litigants to the best of their abilities. It can truly be said that the Judiciary evolved, adapted, and found new effective ways to provide access to justice. In 2021, the Judiciary was fortunate enough to receive approximately $13 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding. The Judiciary extends its gratitude to Governor Ralph DLG. Torres for generously providing such funding to allow the Judiciary to operate at full capacity, especially in light of the budget shortfall brought on by the pandemic. This was an unprecedented amount of money that the CNMI received, and the Judiciary is truly grateful for the receipt of such funds. This funding allowed the courthouses on all three islands to remain open, provide jobs to Judiciary staff, and implement new technology in every courtroom and division. Throughout the year, judges and justices were able to conduct hearings virtually, while staff was able to work remotely. This pandemic has been a disruption, but it has also driven the Judiciary to explore efficient practices and expand services. Since 2020, the pandemic has taken a great toll on people?s mental health and well-being across the world. In response to this, the Judiciary established the Mental Health Court Docket in July 2021, bringing together criminal justice agencies and mental health professionals to identify and treat participants with serious mental illness. These new practices and innovations will continue post-pandemic and were made possible through the hard work and dedicated employees within the court system. Additionally, the HVAC and mold remediation project finally came to a finish. Since 2018, judicial services have been spread thin across various remote worksites across Saipan. The United States District Court for the NMI was gracious enough to allow hearings and trials to take place, while division offices were relocated to the Marianas Business Plaza and other worksites. The Judiciary is finally back home at the Guma? Hustisia. Despite all these struggles, the Judiciary remains adaptable, resilient, and strong. It?s been said before, but the Judiciary will continue to view hardships as opportunities to better serve the CNMI and expand judicial services. Si Yu?us Ma?ase for all those who contributed to these efforts.