The Supreme Court of Guam is the highest

judicial The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...

body of the

United States territory In the United States, a territory is any extent of region under the sovereign jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters (around islands or continental tracts). The United States asserts sovereign rights for ...

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

. The Court hears all

appeals In law, an appeal is the process in which cases are reviewed by a higher authority, where parties request a formal change to an official decision. Appeals function both as a process for error correction as well as a process of clarifying and ...

from the Superior Court of Guam and exercises original jurisdiction only in cases where a certified question is submitted to it by a U.S. federal court, the Governor of Guam, or the Guam Legislature. The Supreme Court of Guam is the ultimate judicial authority on local matters. In the past, appeals of questions involving the U.S. Constitution or federal laws or treaties were heard by a three-judge appellate panel of the U.S. District Court of Guam, from which appeals could be further taken to the

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...

, but this is no longer the case. Since 2006, the court's decisions have only been appealable to the Supreme Court of the United States, in line with the practice regarding the highest courts of the 50 states. The Court sits in the Monessa G. Lujan Memorial Courtroom, which is on the third floor of the Guam Judicial Center in Hagatna, Guam.

Structure

The Court is composed of three justices who are appointed by the Governor of Guam and confirmed by the Guam Legislature. Justices serve for terms of good behavior, subject to a retention election every ten years after his/her appointment. The three justices issue judgment on all cases brought before them. They all sit on the Judicial Council of Guam, which is ultimately in charge of the administration of the Guam Judiciary.

Current justices

The current justices of the Supreme Court of Guam are: *Hon. F. Philip Carbullido – Chief Justice *Hon. Robert J. Torres, Jr. – Associate Justice *Hon. Katherine A. Maraman – Associate Justice The justice's full biographies can be found at the Supreme Court'
website

List of Chief Justices

Retired justices

The Superior Court of Guam

Judges of the Superior Court are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Legislature for a term of eight years. If they wish to continue in office, their names are placed on the ballot at a general election. They must garner at least 50 percent plus one favorable vote of the number of cast ballots to remain in office. Judge Richard Benson and Judge Joaquin E. Manibusan were the first to be placed on a ballot. They both received the overwhelming approval of the voters. The Superior Court is a court of general jurisdiction, and its seven judges preside over criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, small claims, traffic and child support cases brought before them. The hearing officer generally does not preside over all of these subjects, but is utilized predominantly in small claims, family, and traffic matters. In December 2005, the Adult and Juvenile Drug Courts were recognized as courts of record of the Judiciary of Guam. These programs are examples of "therapeutic justice" which focuses on rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into society. Judges are assigned to cases on a rotating basis, though one is rotated into assignment as designated Drug Court judge exclusively for a specified period (currently yearly). The Presiding Judge's additional responsibility is primarily procedural and administrative concerns, though formerly the "PJ," as the position is commonly referred to, assigned cases to the various judges. The current Judges of the Superior Court of Guam are: *The Hon. Alberto C. Lamorena III (Presiding Judge) *The Hon. Elyze M. Iriarte *The Hon. Maria T. Cenzon *The Hon. Michael J. Bordallo *The Hon. Vernon P. Perez *The Hon. Arthur R. Barcinas *The Hon. Dana A. Gutierrez *The Hon. Alberto Tolentino Former Judges include: *The Hon. Paul J. Abbate Jr. (Presiding Judge) *The Hon.

Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson (born July 21, 1953) is a Guamanian lawyer, judge, and moderate Republican politician. She served as the Attorney General of Guam, a U.S. territory, from 1987 to 1994 and again from 2015 to 2019. She is the longest- ...

*The Hon. Richard Benson *The Hon. James L. Canto II *The Hon. Benjamin J. Cruz. (Elevated to Guam Supreme Court) *The Hon. Judge Ramon V. Diaz *The Hon. Janet Healy-Weeks (Elevated to Guam Supreme Court) *The Hon. Joaquin V.E. Manibusan *The Hon. Joaquin V.E. Manibusan Jr. (Appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge for District Court of Guam) *The Hon. Joaquin C. Perez (Guam’s first Presiding Judge) *The Hon. John Raker *The Hon. Vicente C. Reyes (Guam's first island attorney) *The Hon. Peter C. Siguenza Jr. (Elevated to Guam Supreme Court) *The Hon. Anita A. Sukola *The Hon. Frances Tydingco-Gatewood (Elevated to Guam Supreme Court. Appointed Chief Judge for District Court of Guam) *The Hon. Steven S. Unpingco

References

External links

Judiciary of Guam
* {{authority control

Government of Guam 1996 establishments in Guam Courts and tribunals established in 1996