The Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 1 CMC § 3101,[2] is the highest court of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), exercising civil and criminal appellate jurisdiction over commonwealth law matters. It should not be confused with the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, which exercises jurisdiction over federal law. The Supreme Court sits in the capital, Saipan, and consists of a Chief Justice and two Associate Justices. The CNMI has no intermediate appellate commonwealth law court, which means that the CNMI Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial-level Superior Court.

Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Guma’ Hustisia / Iimwal Aweewe / House of Justice
Map
15°09′34″N 145°42′23″E / 15.159536°N 145.706413°E / 15.159536; 145.706413
EstablishedMay 2, 1989 (1989-05-02)
JurisdictionCommonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
LocationSusupe, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Coordinates15°09′34″N 145°42′23″E / 15.159536°N 145.706413°E / 15.159536; 145.706413
Composition methodAppointment by governor with Senate confirmation
Authorised byCommonwealth Judicial Reorganization Act of 1989 (P.L. No. 6-25)[1]
Appeals toSupreme Court of the United States
Appeals fromSuperior Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Number of positions3
Websitewww.nmijudiciary.gov/supremecourt
Chief Justice
CurrentlyAlexandro Cruz Castro
Since2012

History

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The Supreme Court was created by commonwealth law on May 1, 1989.[1] This was allowed under the terms of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, § 402(c), Act of Mar. 24, 1976, Pub. L. 94-241, 90 Stat. 263, codified as amended at 48 U.S.C. § 1801 note. The Covenant granted self-government to the CNMI, with the U.S. administering the islands under the former United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands system.

Prior to the creation of the Supreme Court, the Covenant provided that the District Court for the NMI would exercise original jurisdiction over federal law matters and appellate jurisdiction over commonwealth law matters. Covenant § 402(a) & (c). With the creation of the Supreme Court, the District Court's appellate jurisdiction was effectively eliminated. However, the Covenant provided that for 15 years following the creation of a commonwealth appellate court, appeals of that court's decisions would go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, just as if the decision was rendered by the District Court. Covenant § 403(a). As of May 1, 2004, CNMI Supreme Court appeals can be taken directly to the United States Supreme Court, thus giving the CNMI court relative parity with the highest courts of the 50 U.S. states.[3]

The court typically hears cases at the House of Justice (Chamorro: Guma’ Hustisia; Carolinian: Iimwal Aweewe) in Susupe; however, some cases are also heard at the Kotten Tinian in San Jose and the Rota Centron Hustisia in Sinapalo.[4]

List of chief justices

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List of associate justices

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Commonwealth Judicial Reorganization Act of 1989 (PDF) (P.L. 6-25). Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. 1989-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  2. ^ http://cnmilaw.org/pdf/cmc_section/T1/3101.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ "Judiciary: Northern Mariana Islands". Judiciary of the Northern Mariana Islands. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017. While the Court's decisions were initially appealable to the Ninth Circuit, beginning May 2004, the Court's decisions became reviewable only by the United States Supreme Court.
  4. ^ "35th Anniversary | CNMI Judiciary". The CNMI Judiciary. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  5. ^ "From Colonialism to Self-Government: The Northern Marianas Experience". Jose S. Dela Cruz. Archived from the original on 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  6. ^ "NMI pays lavish tribute to 'big guy with a soft heart'". Saipan Tribune. 2009-03-06. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  7. ^ "Former Justices | CNMI Judiciary". The CNMI Judiciary. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
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