Saipan, CNMI – The Supreme Court denied the Attorney General’s petition for a writ of mandamus. The Attorney General, on behalf of the Commonwealth, had been prosecuting Willie Carnell Frink for an alleged sexual assault. After the finding of probable cause against Frink, the trial court quashed the warrant originally used to arrest Frink and required a new arrest warrant. Additionally, the trial court ordered the Commonwealth to personally serve the order finding probable cause on Frink....

Saipan, CNMI – The Supreme Court issued its opinion in Macaranas v. Macaranas , reversing the trial court’s finding of criminal contempt due to a violation of the defendant’s constitutional due process right to counsel. The charge of contempt arose from a violation of an order of protection.     The trial court held Guy Macaranas in criminal contempt after he failed to make child support payments, made contact with Nao Macaranas outside the scope allowed by the order of protection against...