Scenic drive and towering cliffs of northern Saipan.
Video courtesy of
Rommel Buenaflor
The Superior Court is comprised of five judges and they are appointed by the Governor, confirmed by the Senate, and serve six-year terms. They may seek retention after each six-year term. The Presiding Judge generally oversees the functions of the court. The court has general jurisdiction and hears a variety of cases, including civil, criminal, probate, juvenile cases, administrative appeals, and traffic violations.
JOSEPH N. CAMACHO
Presiding Judge
Associate Judge Joseph James N. Camacho is a proud graduate of the Northern Marianas College, where he received his Associate of Arts degree.
He went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in History from San Jose State University, a Masters of Public Administration from Seattle University, and a Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law.
KENNETH L. GOVENDO
Associate Judge
Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo was born in Syracuse, New York on January 28, 1945. In 1966, he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Alfred University in Alfred, New York. In 1969.
He obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, Ohio.
TERESA K. KIM-TENORIO
Associate Judge
Associate Judge Teresa K. Kim-Tenorio ascended to the bench on December 22, 2013. In 1997, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
In 2001, she graduated from New England School of Law with her Juris Doctor degree. Judge Kim-Tenorio is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan,
LILLIAN A. TENORIO
Associate Judge
Associate Judge Lillian Ada Tenorio became the fourth female Associate Judge of the Superior Court after taking the oath of office on February 20, 2024. She was the Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island from January 31, 2015 to February 19, 2024, serving under the first elected Attorney General, the Honorable Edward Manibusan.
JOEY P. SAN NICOLAS
Associate Judge
Associate Judge Joey Patrick San Nicolas was confirmed by the Senate on April 24, 2026, and sworn in as an Associate Judge of the Superior Court on May 8, 2026. Prior to joining the Judiciary, Judge San Nicolas practiced law for two decades in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and before the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Commonwealth Recorder’s Office is tasked with maintaining, updating, indexing, and retaining copies of recorded documents.
