U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is comprised of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It was established by Act of Congress in 1977 and began hearing cases in January, 1978. The court regularly sits in Saipan, but may sit elsewhere in the CNMI. The District Court has the same jurisdiction as all other United States District Courts, including diversity jurisdiction and bankruptcy jurisdiction. Appeals are taken to the Ninth Circuit.

Like all other federal judges, judges in this court are appointed by the President, subject to Senate approval. However, unlike federal judges in the 50 United States and District of Columbia, who receive lifetime tenure under the United States Constitution, judges in this court are appointed to 10-year terms or until a successor is chosen and qualified. (Judges but may serve more than one term, subject to the standard nominating process.)

This is the only United States district court that has no associated United States Attorney's Office. The United States is represented in civil and criminal litigation in the court by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Guam.

The first District Judge appointed was the Honorable Alfred Laureta, who served from 1978 until 1988. His successor, the Honorable Alex R. Munson, was nominated by President Ronald Reagan, and confirmed by the Senate in 1988. Judge Munson was nominated for a second ten-year term by President William J. Clinton and was confirmed by the Senate in 1998.

For further information about the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, please refer to 48 U.S.C. 1821 et seq.

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