Saipan, CNMI – The Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands today issued its opinion in Camacho v. Northern Mariana Islands Settlement Fund, Supreme Court No. 2024-SCC-0024-CQU, answering a certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Court held that section 8334(e) of the Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund Act of 1988 did not grant Class II members of the Retirement Fund a constitutionally protected accr

Håfa Adai and Tirow, The Commonwealth Recorder’s Office is experiencing technical difficulties with the e-recording system. We are actively working to resolve the issue and look to provide a resolution within the next 48 hours or sooner. We understand the importance of this service to you and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We are committed to restoring full functionality as quickly as possible and we will update you with the latest information as we receive i

Students attending the Brief Writing Workshop given by Law Clerk Katherine Eckrote at the SSZ Conference Room, Guma’ Hustisia. (October 20, 2025) Saipan, CNMI – On October 21st, the Supreme Court held the second session in its three-part Moot Court workshop series, focusing on appellate brief writing. Now in its third year, the High School Moot Court program offers students a chance to role-play as appellate attorneys in a mock appeal of a fictional case, fostering a deeper u

Saipan, CNMI – The Northern Mariana Islands Judiciary is warning the public about a new scam being used in the United States in which callers pretend to be from the state judiciary’s supreme court clerk’s office. In recent months, people in the United States have reported receiving calls from individuals falsely claiming to represent the Clerk’s Office. To make the scheme appear legitimate, the caller “spoofs” the Judiciary’s official phone number so that it appears on caller

Saipan, CNMI – T he Supreme Court will be holding oral arguments at Saipan International School on October 28th at 10:30 a.m., as part of its community outreach efforts. The session will be presided over by Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro, Justice John A. Manglona, and Justice Perry B. Inos, providing a rare opportunity for students to observe the judicial process in action. The case to be heard, In re Estate of Kapileo,  involves a Superior Court decision that Appellant Sa

Saipan, CNMI – On October 16th, the Supreme Court denied Appellant John Sablan Pangelinan’s motion to stay the mandate in Pangelinan v. Pangelinan. 2024 MP 5 for the purpose of reconsidering a denial of a petition for rehearing. The Supreme Court took the opportunity to clarify the standards for when invoking a discretionary motion for stay of mandate under NMI Supreme Court Rule 41(d)(1). Emphasizing that non-certiorari reasons for granting a stay of mandate are disfavored,