NMI JUDICIARY 2025 ANNUAL REPORT

Chamber Administrator

TRACY D LIMES Judicial Assistant

ANNUAL ANNUALReport Report Report BOARD BOARD BOARD

BRYAN S BOCAGO Special Projects and Infrastructure Coordinator

ALEXANDER O LAURON Administrative Officer

MARIA G TERLAJE Client Services Navigator

GREGORIO U TUDELA Program Specialist

VINCENT P CAMACHO Information Systems Support Specialist

MARK G HIDALGO Data Analyst

CHRISTIN S CABRERA Deputy Clerk

MICCA B KING Scanning Clerk

ELVIRA M QUITUGUA Scanning Clerk

EVA P CALVO Executive Assistant

Graphic Designers

ROGELIO N FRANCIA Information Systems Support Specialist

DANIELLE S ACOSTA Client Services Navigator

The Judiciary 2765 Tekken Street

Guma’ Hustisia |IimwalAweewe HouseofJustice PO Box 502165, Saipan, MP 96950

Supreme Court: (670) 236-9800 Superior Court: (670) 236-9700

www NMIJudiciary gov

MESSAGE FROM FROM MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF JUSTICE CHIEF JUSTICE THE CHIEF JUSTICE

HafaAdaiyanTirow,

Lookingbackon2025, Iamgratefulforayearmarkedbyperseverance, progress, andservicetoourislandcommunity. Centered onjusticeandcommittedtoconnectingcourtsandcitizens, theJudiciarycontinuedworkingtoensurethatourcourtsarenotonly placeswherecasesaredecidedbutplacesthepubliccanunderstandandtrust.

Thisyear, theJudiciaryfocusedonGoal6ofitsStrategicPlan, FosteringCivicEngagement, byexpandingoutreachandeducation effortsthatbringthejusticesystemclosertothepeopleitserves Theseprograms, whichoftentookplaceoutsidethecourtrooms, playanimportantroleinbuildingpublicconfidence, increasingunderstandingofthelaw, andencouragingthoughtfulparticipation inciviclife

ThroughtheHighSchoolMockTrialandHighSchoolMootCourtcompetitions, studentsandcommunitymembersgained firsthandexperiencewiththejusticesystemandtheconstitutionalprotectionsthatapplytoeveryone, seeingthatcourtdecisions areguidedbyfairness, evidence, andtheruleoflaw TheJudiciaryalsowelcomedstudentgroupstotourthecourthousesoffering acloserlookatthedailyworkofthecourts OnApril3, theJudiciaryjoinedleadersfromGuamandtheCNMIina LawMonth resolution-proclamationceremony, reaffirmingasharedcommitmenttotheruleoflawandpubliceducation Together, theseefforts makejusticemorevisible, understandable, andaccessible, strengtheningtrustinourcourtsanddemocraticinstitutions

Additionally, theJudiciaryadoptedamendmentstothe NMI Code of Judicial Conduct andthe NMI Rules of Judicial Disciplinary Procedure, whichhadnotbeenupdatedinovertwodecades Theserevisionsstrengthenaccountabilityforjudgesandjustices whileprovidingthepublicwithamoremodern, transparent, andstreamlinedprocessforfilingandresolvinggrievances Together, theseupdatesreinforcetheJudiciary’scommitmenttointegrity, publictrust, andresponsivenesstotheneedsofourcommunity Wealsocontinuedtostrengthenproblem-solvingapproachesthroughourDrugCourtProgramandMentalHealthCourtdocket Theseinitiativesprovidestructured, treatment-focusedalternativestotraditionalcaseprocessing, addressingtherootcausesof criminalbehaviorwhilepromotingaccountabilityandrehabilitation Bysupportingparticipantsonapathtowardstabilityand recovery, theseprogramsenhancepublicsafetyandreflectacommitmenttomoreeffectiveadministrationofjusticebackedby bestevidence-basedpractices.

SiYu’usMa’asetoeveryonewhohelpedmaketheseeffortspossible.

HON. ALEXANDROC. CASTRO ChiefJustice

Supreme Court Supreme Court Supreme Court

Speech Competition, an annual event in which high school students from Rota, Tinian, and Saipan debate current legal issues

He is admitted to practice law in the U S Supreme Court; U S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; U S District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands; CNMI Courts; and as a paralegal in the Courts of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Chief Justice Castro graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) in 1989, a British oriented law school. While in law school, he represented UPNG in the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington, D C He is married to Carmen Moses of Anguar Palau, and they are blessed with six children, seven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren

Justice John A. Manglona, initially appointed by Governor Pedro P Tenorio in 2000 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, has served as a justice for over 25 years. Justice Manglona has been successfully retained in three elections, each carrying an eight-year term He served as an Associate Judge in the Superior Court from 1998 to 2000

While serving as a judge, he was also nominated by Guam Governor Car T C Gutierrez to serve as a Designated Justice of the Guam Supreme Court for a four-year term The Guam Legislature unanimously confirmed the nomination. He continues to assist the Guam Supreme Court as justice pro tempore Justice Manglona, born on Rota, attended Guam Catholic schools and graduated from Father Duenas Memorial School H received his B.A. in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley, J D from Creighton University of Law, and LL M in Taxation from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Justice Manglona was in private practice focusing on probate, corporations, tax, and real property transactions Justice Manglona led many of the Judiciary's technology an capital improvements He actively participates in out reach programs, suc as the Law and the Freshman Legislator which he set up, High School Mock Trial and Moot Court, Justices in the Classroom, and Law Week He volunteered for many years with the National Forensics League, Nationa Speech and Debate, and We the People programs as a competition coach and judge Justice Manglona is married to U S District Court for th NMI Chief Judge Ramona V Manglona, and they are blessed with two children and a granddaughter

Justice Perry B. Inos ascended to the Supreme Court in 2013 after serving as an Associate Judge on the Superior Court since 2008 Governor Benigno R. Fitial appointed him to both courts. Justice Inos successfully underwent retention elections in 2012 and 2020

Born on Saipan, Justice Inos went to Rota High School and graduated from the University of Guam with a B B A in Management he received h Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico of Law Before joining the bench, he worked for the Office of the Attorney General, Law Office of John A Manglona, and as a solo practitioner Justice Inos participates in the Judiciary's various outreach programs and the Pacific Judicial Council education committee and assists the Guam Supreme Court as justice pro tempore and the Pacific Judicial Council education committee and assists the Guam Supreme court as justice pro tempore when designated He volunteers in the community as a member of the Rotary Club of Saipan Justice Inos is married to Debra A Inos, and they are blessed with three children and three grandchildren.

JUDICIAL ASSISTANTS

Mary Bernadette (Mabby) C. Glass has served as the Chamber Administrator to Chief Justice Alexandro C Castro since March 2024 She joined the Judiciary in 2021 and has worked as the Publications Clerk for the Commonwealth Law Revision Commission and as a paralegal for the Office of the General Counsel under ARPA for two and half years Prior to working for the Judiciary, Mabby worked at King Law Office as a legal assistant for five years Outside of work, Mabby enjoys traveling with her husband, and her favorite trip this year was to Kyoto, Japan

Tracy D. Limes, Judicial Assistant to Justice John A Manglona, began her career in the Judiciary as an ARPA Scanning Clerk in October 2021 under the Judiciary Administrative Office In July 2024, she transitioned to the position of Client Services Navigator, and in December 2024, she was appointed to her current role in the Supreme Court. Prior to her service in the Judiciary, Tracy worked as a Client Advisor at Louis Vuitton Saipan, Inc for over four years. She enjoys spending time with her family.

Ignatia C. Aldan, Judicial Assistant to Justice Perry B Inos, graduated from Mount Carmel School and began her career with the Judiciary on December 19, 2011, as then-Associate Judge Perry B. Inos’ Judicial Assistant. On March 8, 2013, when Justice Inos ascended to the Supreme Court, she remained his Judicial Assistant Ignatia worked for 5 and 1/2 years before resigning to care for her uncle. She then returned to her position as Judicial Assistant to Justice Inos on February 14, 2021 Ignatia is happily married and blessed with four children, one stepson, and four grandchildren. Her hobbies include listening to music and playing with her grandchildren

LAW CLERKS

Isabele M. Castle clerked for Chief Justice Castro from September 2024 to September 2025 She received her bachelor’s degree from Temple University in 2019 Following graduation, Isabele served in the United States Peace Corps as a Youth Development Facilitator in Peru Thereafter, she attended law school at the University of Dayton where she externed for the Supreme Court of Ohio and the U S District Court for the Southern District of Ohio In her spare time, Isabele enjoys snorkeling, hiking, and playing musical instruments

Paige Lehman clerked for Justice Manglona from August 2023 to August 2025 Paige received a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University before teaching English in Madrid, Spain She attended law school at Washington University in St Louis and graduated with her Juris Doctor and a certificate in Public Interest law before moving to Saipan in August 2023 She is licensed to practice law in Missouri Paige most enjoys reading, diving, golfing, and traveling across the region

Nathan M Ford clerked for Justice Inos from August 2023 to August 2025 He received his B A in Applied Linguistics from Grinnell College in 2017 Before attending law school, Nathan worked as a paralegal and Spanish language interpreter Nathan received his J D from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2023 During law school, Nathan interned at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and later at a New York firm focused on labor and employment law When he is not working, Nathan enjoys running, cooking, gardening, and spending time with his parents, seven siblings, and nine nieces and nephews

Katrina Carney is the law clerk for Justice Manglona She received a Bachelor of the Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies from the College of Saint Benedict and attended law school at the University of California, Irvine School of Law She has previously worked in education, personal care, sanitation, historic preservation, and retail Her hobbies include reading, podcasts, and attempting to learn various fiber arts

Chandler W. Farquhar began clerking for Justice Inos in August 2025 He received his B B A in Supply Chain Management from Texas A&M University in 2018 Before attending law school, he worked in Bangalore, India as a data analytics consultant He received his J D from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2025 During law school, he interned at a rural public defender’s office in Illinois and an insurance company in Omaha, Nebraska and externed at the Iowa Supreme Court He was a managing editor of the Journal of Corporation Law, one of the nation’s leading corporate law journals. In his free time, he enjoys reading and going to the beach

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OFFICE OF THE CLERK OFFICE OF THE CLERK

Judy T. Aldan assumed her role as Clerk of Court for the NMI Supreme Court in November 2020 Prior to joining the Judiciary, she was a staff attorney with the CNMI Law Revision Commission and an attorney with Torres Brothers, LLC For several years, she served as the Criminal Justice Program Coordinator and as an Instructor at Northern Marianas College She also taught leadership at Keystone Leadership Training Center in Bundang- Gu, South Korea Mrs Aldan received her Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M Cooley Law School and her undergraduate degree from Boise State University She returned home after completing her studies and was admitted to the CNMI Bar in 2008

Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court Nora V Borja has been with the Judiciary for over 30 years Mrs Borja served former Chief Justice Miguel Demapan as his Judicial Assistant before joining the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court in 2012 She is also the Bar Administrator.

POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND RULES

Bar Examinations

February 2025 exam:

1 applicant

July 2025 exam: 2 applicants

BAR MATTERS

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS

EXTERNSHIPS

In 2025, the Supreme Court had one legal extern and five high school externs This year’s legal extern, Rami E. Lieberman, is a J D candidate at New York University School of Law. He holds an M.A. in Philosophy from University College London and a B A in Philosophy and History from Vanderbilt University. Before beginning law school, Rami gained extensive professional experience in business operations and strategy as Vice President at Holomex in Mexico City, where he spearheaded cost-saving initiatives, expanded sales, and led major technological investments He also held internships in marketing and branding in London, contributing to projects that boosted client visibility and reduced operational costs

During Rami’s externship, he assisted with legal research and case analysis in a jurisdiction that applies U S constitutional law while also navigating the unique status and challenges of territorial governance His experience offered him insight into the complexities of law in U S territories and the distinctive role of courts within them

The Supreme Court also welcomed five high school externs: three from Marianas High School: David Park (Junior), Steven Lian (Sophomore), and Ricky Tang (Sophomore); and two from Saipan International School, William Guo (Freshman) and Irene Park (Junior) Many of these students first became interested in law through Mock Trial and Moot Court. Their experiences in these competition sparked their curiosity and inspired them to pursue an externship with the NMI Judiciary Throughout their externship, the students were rotated through various divisions of the NMI Judiciary, where they gained first-hand exposure to judicial operations and a deeper understanding of the functions and responsibilities of the court system

PRO TEM JUSTICES AND JUDGES

2025 Justices Pro Tempore

Chief Justice Robert J. Torres, II, Supreme Court of Guam

Justice F Philip Carbullido, Supreme Court of Guam

Justice Katherine A Maraman, Supreme Court of Guam

Justice Sabrina S McKenna, Hawai’i Supreme Court

Judge Lillian A Tenorio, Superior Court of NMI

2025 Judges Pro Tempore

Presiding Judge Albert C. Lamorena, III Superior Court of Guam

Judge Elize M Iriarte, Superior Court of Guam

Judge John C Terlaje, Superior Court of Guam

“The chief justice may designate, as the need arises, an active or former justice or judge of the Commonwealth, of any United States jurisdiction, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau or the Republic of the Marshall Islands to serve as a pro tem justice or judge of the Commonwealth courts ”

NMI Constitution, Art IV, Sec 9(d)

In 2025, the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) continued to provide a broad spectrum of advisory legal functions and oversaw various legal issues affecting the court system and its administration on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota

Importantly, OGC plays a critical role in drafting and reviewing procurement documents, including ITBs, RFPs, RFQs, NTPs, and contracts, as well as reviewing HR documents such as NOPAs and employee contracts In January, OGC attended SHRM’s Introduction to ESGR and the ESERRA Act event and in March, attended the ABA’s National Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity Law to enhance its ability to provide guidance that ensures compliance with applicable rules and regulations In 2025, OGC continued to assist the Law Revision Commission in bringing NMIAC and CMC codification up to date, which consisted of a backlog dating back to 2021, and attended the Association of Reporters of Judicial Decisions Annual Meeting

The Office of the General Counsel also assisted in obtaining a grant from the State Justice Institute in the amount of $115,000 These funds will be utilized to to conduct a comprehensive assessment to evaluate its capacity to serve justice-involved youth effectively across all three inhabited islands, including review of the CNMI Juvenile Justice Act and the Rules of Juvenile Delinquency Procedure Although the Judiciary was ultimately unsuccessful in its efforts, OGC assisted in drafting proposals for the Energizing Insular Communities Program and the National Center for State Courts’ Legal Deserts Problem Solving Project.

Beyond its advisory functions, the OGC conducts trainings to Judiciary managers and staff on various court policies and also serves as the court’s Language Access Plan and Policy interpreter trainer and EEO Officer This year OGC conducted EEO sensitivity trainings, conflict of interest training for several divisions, a training on the differences between legal advice and legal information for the Family Court Division, and a training on confidentiality at the Judiciary’s Professional Development Summit

Finally, outside of traditional job duties, OGC assisted with several community outreach programs such as serving as judges for High School Moot Court, and led court tours OGC continues to review sensitive and confidential legal issues for the Supreme Court and Superior Court, and served as Acting Director of Courts on several occasions

Article IV of the NMI Constitution established the Superior Court as a trial court with original jurisdiction over civil, criminal, and other specialized matters The court consists of five judges appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate to serve an initial six-year term After the initial term, a judge may undergo a retention election for another term. While most trials are held at Guma’ Hustisia on Saipan, the court also conducts proceedings at Kotten Tinian and Rota Centron Hustisia The court oversees the Superior Court Clerk's Office, Family Court Division, Drug Court Division, Mental Health Court Docket, and Office of Adult Probation Supervision The court is committed to provide accessible justice to all It ensures that indigent criminal defendants have attorneys, litigants with limited English proficiency have interpreters, and parties have an accurate record for appeal to the Supreme Court.

Superio Superio Superio

JUDGES JUDGES

PRESIDING JUDGE ROBERTO C NARAJA

Presiding Judge Naraja was born on Saipan on July 17, 1955. He graduated from George Washington Senior High School on Guam in 1975 He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the California Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks, California, in 1979, and he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from Gonzaga School of Law in Spokane, Washington, in 1982 After receiving his law degree, Presiding Judge Naraja served as Assistant Legal Counsel to the CNMI Resident Representative in Washington, D C He then worked as an Assistant Public Defender and, thereafter, as an Assistant Attorney General (first with the criminal division and then the solicitor’s division). He subsequently served both as the Chief Public Defender and as Attorney General Presiding Judge Naraja then ventured into private practice, establishing his own law firm from 1995 to 2001

Presiding Judge Naraja ascended to the Superior Court and served as an Associate Judge from November 2001 to March 2003. He was sworn in as Presiding Judge on March 28, 2003, a position he continues to hold In January 2010, he also began serving as a Designated Judge for the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, a position he still serves Since 2003, Presiding Judge Naraja has served, and continues to serve, as a member of the Pacific Judicial Council. He is also a member of the Judicial Council of the NMI Judiciary Presiding Judge Naraja is married to Carmen Francesca V Deleon Guerrero Naraja, and they have five children and eight grandchildren

JUDGE KENNETH L. GOVENDO

Judge Govendo was born in Syracuse, New York on January 28, 1945. In 1966, he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Alfred University in New York In 1969, he obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law in Ohio After law school, Judge Govendo became a general practitioner in Redondo Beach, California, and worked part-time as a senior staff attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation of the South Bar Association. He served as District Attorney in Palau and as Assistant Attorney General on Saipan during the Trust Territory period He also served as Assistant Legislative Counsel for the Fifth Northern Marianas District Legislature and was legal counsel for the Department of Natural Resources, Board of Elections, and Civil Service Commission.

JUDGE JOSEPH N CAMACHO

Judge Camacho is a proud graduate of the Northern Marianas College, where he received his Associate of Arts degree He went 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. Judge Camacho served as a prosecutor for the CNMI Office of Attorney General before establishing his own law firm with his wife, who is also an attorney He has been admitted to practice law before United States Supreme Court, the U S Court of Appeals from the Ninth Circuit, the U S District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Commonwealth Courts.

g United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

Judge Kim-Tenorio served as legal counsel for the Honorable Eloy S. Inos, Governor of the CNMI, from February 2013 until her ascension in December 2013 Prior to that, she served as legal counsel for the CNMI Lieutenant Governor and the CNMI Legislature, and also spent time in private practice In 2015, Judge Kim-Tenorio actively participated alongside other justice professionals in the implementation of the first-ever Drug Court program in the CNMI. Her Honor oversees the program as the initial Drug Court judge Using this experience, she assisted in the formation of the Commonwealth Mental Health Court Docket Additionally, on March 8, 2016, at the recommendation of Chief Judge Ramona Manglona of the NMI District Court, Judge Kim-Tenorio was appointed by Chief Judge Sidney R Thomas of the United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit to serve as a designated judge in the District Court

In September 2017, Judge Kim-Tenorio was appointed to preside over the Family Court docket Noticing the difficulty community members faced in attending hearings during working hours, Her Honor spearheaded the planning and implementation of the Commonwealth’s first night court docket. In November 2023, Judge Kim-Tenorio began offering night sessions in child support matters, thereby improving access to justice for working parents

JUDGE LILLIAN A. TENORIO

Judge Tenorio became the fourth female Associate Judge of the Superior Court after taking the oath of office on February 20, 2024 She is assigned to the Juvenile Court, the Mental Health Court Docket (MHCD), the Small Claims docket and presides over assigned criminal and civil matters Judge Tenorio also heads the review of establishing a Veterans Treatment Court with the MHCD team and was appointed by Chief Justice Castro to lead the review of the juvenile justice system with the juvenile coordinator funded by a State Justice Institute grant.

Before her appointment to the Superior Court, Judge Tenorio was the Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) from January 31, 2015 to February 19, 2024, serving under the first elected Attorney General, the Honorable Edward Manibusan

Prior to joining the Office of the Attorney General, Judge Tenorio was in private practice as a solo practitioner from July 2004 to January 2015 She has served as Legal Counsel for the House of Representatives, Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature (2002-2004) and as a law clerk to the Honorable John A Manglona, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the CNMI

Judge Tenorio received a Bachelors of Arts from the University of California, Davis in 1984. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1999, and was the recipient of the Julia Raymond McCulloch Memorial Award for Constitutional Law and the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for the Study of Constitutional Law

SPECIAL ASSISTANT & LAW CLERKS

MARLISA MARQUEZ, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDING JUDGE ROBERTO C. NARAJA

Marlisa "Marly" Marquez graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in biology, minors in psychology and philosophy, and a certificate in pre-law philosophy She then worked as a public benefits caseworker for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission during the COVID-19 pandemic. She later earned her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, where she served as a student attorney for the Michigan Law's Civil Rights Litigation Initiative and externed at the United Nations Refugee Agency in Geneva, Switzerland During law school summers, she interned at labor and employment nonprofits She has received numerous awards and fellowships, including Michigan Law's La Comunidad Scholarship, Michigan Law's National Association of Women Lawyers Award, and the Peggy Browning Fellowship In her spare time, she enjoys singing, swimming, and doing yoga

CHANHO ROH, LAW CLERK TO THE PRESIDING JUDGE ROBERTO C. NARAJA,

Chanho Roh clerked for Presiding Judge Naraja from September 2024 to July 2025. He earned his law degree from Washington University School of Law in St Louis, where he gained diverse professional experience in judicial chambers and prosecutorial offices, including the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, the Indiana Attorney General's Office, and the St. Louis County Prosecutor's Office. Having lived in Korea, Canada, and the United States, Chanho completed his bachelor's degree in Economics, East Asian Studies, and International Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison After graduation, he moved to Mongolia and China, working at the Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations while completing a master's degree in International Relations at Peking University before pursuing his legal studies He is fluent in Korean and proficient in Chinese In his free time, Chanho is an avid swimmer, snowboarder, and climber with a passion for travel and discovering new horizons

KATE RUES, LAW CLERK TO PRESIDING JUDGE ROBERTO C. NARAJA

Kate Rues began her clerkship in August 2025. Kate was born and raised in rural Kansas. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and her J D from the University of Kansas While in college, she served an AmeriCorps term and worked at the community shelter doing outreach for the local unhoused population During law school, she worked in KU Law’s Legal Aid Clinic and interned for the Kansas Board of Indigents’ Defense Services. In her free time, Kate enjoys backpacking abroad and doing yoga.

SPECIAL ASSISTANT & LAW CLERKS

BRIAN LI, LAW CLERK TO JUDGE LILLIAN A. TENORIO AND JUDGE KENNETH L. GOVENDO

Brian Li is a May 2024 graduate of the Seattle University School of Law He clerked for Judge Tenorio from August 2024 to February 2025, before transitioning to a clerkship with Judge Govendo from February 2025 to August 2025 Previously having worked in market research, Brian entered law school to specialize in legal issues surrounding cryptocurrency, but then realized his true calling was that of a government attorney When not in Guma’ Hustisia, Brian can be found at Latte Built Fitness, the Saipan International Shooting Range, one of the island's various diving sites, or a resort lunch buffet While living in Saipan, Brian found the time to visit Japan and South Korea, but he hopes to see other Pacific islands and Southeast Asian destinations next

ALEXANDRIA VAZQUEZ, LAW CLERK TO JUDGE KENNETH L. GOVENDO

Alexandria Vazquez began her clerkship in August 2025 She graduated from Westmont College with a bachelor's degree in business/economics and a minor in studio art She went on to teach English to Catalan children in Spain After returning to the United States, she worked as a surgery coordinator for two orthopedic surgeons in California. She then went on to obtain a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law During law school, she interned with the Kansas City Medical Legal Partnership, providing legal aid to low-income patients In her free time, Alexandria enjoys drawing and antique shopping

ABIGAIL AKYIAW, LAW CLERK TO JUDGE JOSEPH N. CAMACHO

Abigail Akyiaw worked at the Judiciary from February 2023 to February 2025 She earned her JD from California Western School of Law and her BA in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. She interned with the California Innocence Project and New Media Rights during law school Abigail spends her downtime writing poetry and fiction and enjoying trips to the beach.

SAGE WAGNER, LAW CLERK TO JUDGE JOSEPH N. CAMACHO

Sage Wagner began her clerkship with Judge Camacho in March 2025. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and her Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law During law school, she gained experience through the Marshall Brennan project, where she taught high school students' constitutional law

SUSAN HONG, LAW CLERK TO JUDGE TERESA K. KIM-TENORIO

Susan Hong is originally from Arizona, where she served in three legislative sessions at the Arizona State Senate and worked as a clerk in the Family Department of the Maricopa County Superior Court before attending law school. She earned her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and her Master of Laws (LL M ) in Intellectual Property and Technology Law from the National University of Singapore. While in law school, she served as a Technical Editor for the Journal of Science and Technology Law and gained experience through legal research as well as corporate and in-house legal roles focused on emerging technologies and intellectual property Outside of her legal work, Susan enjoys staying active through dance and sports, including breakdancing, volleyball, bouldering, and kickboxing.

JAMES HALLISEY, LAW CLERK TO JUDGE LILLIAN A. TENORIO

James Hallisey grew up in New Jersey and came to Saipan after graduating from Boston University Sc reading, travel, and birdwa on-island

JUDICIAL ASSISTANTS

CHAMBER ADMINISTRATOR ROSE LYNETTE M. CAMACHO

Rose Lynette M. Camacho has dedicated over 19 years to the NMI Judiciary, serving in various capacities including the Law Revision Commission, the Judiciary Administrative Office, the Supreme Court Office of the Clerk of Court, and currently as Chamber Administrator for Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja. Her professional experience spans both the private sector and the Office of the Public Auditor

Fondly known as Lynette, she is passionate about giving back to her community and volunteers as the Art and Environment Director for St Jude Church in Koblerville, where she shares her creativity and time. Outside of her church work, Lynette enjoys cooking, event planning, and spending quality time with family and friends

JUDICIAL ASSISTANT BRANDON H. DELOS REYES

Brandon H Delos Reyes began his Judiciary career on October 31, 2022, serving as a Deputy Clerk I primarily assigned to Associate Judge Kenneth L Govendo for two and a half years

During this time, he also contributed in multiple roles, including assisting as Jury Coordinator and Appeals Coordinator for the Superior Court Clerk of Court’s office In April 2025, Brandon became the Administrative Officer for the Judiciary’s Budget and Finance Department, contributing to essential fiscal and administrative functions

A month later, in June 2025, he was appointed as Judge Govendo’s Judicial Assistant and was subsequently sworn in as Judicial Assistant and Special Deputy Clerk making him the firs male Judicial Assistant in the Judiciary’s history Outside of his professional roles, Brandon enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

JUDICIAL ASSISTANT DELIA S. MAGOFNA

Before becoming a judicial assistant, Delia S Magofna worked as a Deputy Clerk I for two years Prior to working at the CNMI Superior Court, Delia worked as a legal secretary/legal assistant for Calvo, Fisher & Jacob LLP for 13 years, culminating in over 25 years of experience in the legal field She also serves as the primary timekeeper for the Superior Court

JUDICIAL ASSISTANT SABRINA LYNN DELA CRUZ

Sabrina Lynn Dela Cruz graduated from Kagman High School in 2006. She began her journey with the Judiciary in September 2009, starting as a scanning clerk under the ARRA Grant, where she served for three years From there, she continued to grow professionally, spending eight years as a Deputy Clerk I

During this time, Sabrina was assigned as a courtroom clerk for Family Court, first working closely with Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo When the Family Court docket later transitioned to Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio, Sabrina was then reassigned to clerk for Judge Kim-Tenorio In 2020, Sabrina took the opportunity to move up as Deputy Clerk II for the Drug Court Division After only three months in that role, her strong work ethic and commitment opened the door to another greater opportunity, and she was selected to serve as Judicial Assistant to Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio.

Outside of her professional life, Sabrina enjoys being a mother to five wonderful children She enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends

JUDICIAL ASSISTANT VIVIAN S. DELA CRUZ

Vivian S Dela Cruz has served in this role since Judge Tenorio joined the bench in February 2024 She previously worked as Judicial Assistant to Retired Judge David A Wiseman from March 2001 to May 2016, and to Retired Judge Wesley M Bogdan from August 2017 until December 2023. Before joining the Judiciary, she was employed at the Law Offices of David A. Wiseman from 1984 through March 2001 She became a certified Trial Court Transcriptionist on May 1, 2007, and was sworn in as a Special Deputy Clerk on June 1, 2007 On March 19, 2016, she was appointed by Chief Justice Alexandro C Castro as the LEP Coordinator, a role she held until August 29, 2022

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE SUPERIOR COURT

For the Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court (COC), 2025 was defined by a concentrated effort on the implementation of the eCourt Case Management System While the prior year was dedicated to system development, configuration, data preparation, and migration planning, this reporting year marked the transition from building the system to actively using it in daily court operations The COC led and supported the rollout, dedicating significant resources to training staff, validating migrated data, adjusting workflows, coordinating with Journal Technologies, File & Serve Express (FSX), and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) As a result, eCourt became fully integrated into Superior Courts processes, reshaping how filings, citations, and case information are received, reviewed, and managed.

CALENDAR CALL

This year, we initiated a new round of calendar calls for all civil cases filed in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 This review focuses on identifying civil matters that have remained inactive for more than two years Appropriate notices of dismissal are prepared and filed for these cases. This effort ensures that case statuses within eCourt are updated and that long-inactive cases are formally disposed of. By the end of the reporting year, a total of 155 cases were closed through this process.

JURY COMMISSION

A new jury panel for the island of Saipan was drawn at the beginning of 2025 following the retirement of the 2023 panel. The drawing was conducted with the most recent voter registration roster. This updated panel now serves as the active jury pool for the Superior Court It is currently being used for ongoing jury-trial proceedings

NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS COURT STATISTICS PROJECT: 2024 TRIAL COURT MATRIX

We continue to participate in the NCSC Court Statistics project for the reporting year. We completed and submitted the Trial Court Matrix for the 2024 reporting cycle, ensuring compliance with national reporting standards In December, the Trial Court received the CSP Reporting Excellence Award This achievement reflects the office’s ongoing commitment to partners in the judicial administration.

DOCUMENT RETENTION PROJECT

The document retention project at Rota Centron Hustisia continued throughout the year, with staff dedicating significant time to auditing case files for disposal and ensuring the completeness of electronic records. Progress slowed as staff were temporarily assigned to assist with the courtroom floor-tiling project, which required boxing, moving, and reshelving case files, as well as occasionally assisting with carpet removal After the tiling work was completed, the retention and auditing work continued

CLERKS ATTEND NCJFCJ CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO

The 88th Annual Conference of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), held in July 2025, served as a premier educational forum for juvenile and family law professionals to address the most pressing challenges in the modern justice system Through a diverse curriculum of plenary sessions and specialized training tracks, the conference explored cutting-edge topics including juvenile justice reform, child welfare data analytics, and the evolving legal protections for survivors of domestic violence By bringing together a multidisciplinary community of experts and thought leaders, the event provided actionable strategies to improve court efficiency and enhance the safety of the children and families served

The 2025 conference highlighted that a successful family court operates as a single, cohesive ecosystem For judges, the focus was on high-level decision-making and ethical leadership; for staff and caseworkers, it was about the operational excellence required to turn those decisions into reality By integrating Artificial Intelligence to reduce administrative burdens and adopting trauma-informed protocols, the entire team can move from simply "processing cases" to actively improving family outcomes.

What was your best accomplishment or highlight at the Judiciary? Being a part of the team that developed the Family Court Division.

What was your favorite childhood movie? The Bad News Bears

What is your favorite food? Japanese food

What is your high school mascot? Dolphins

What is the single most important thing to help you navigate a challenge at work? Remaining focused.

What was your first job? Youth Development Coordinator

What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Eating too much sweets

What's the weirdest food combination you enjoy? Fermented soybeans with grated yam and raw tuna

If you could give one piece of advice to someone newly starting the Judiciary, what would it be and why? Always think about public service and provide the best service you can because you will never go wrong

What is something on your bucket list? Travelling to Asian countries

What is your biggest pet peeve? Rough seas

What is an unusual skill you have? Making sushi.

What did you get into the most trouble for with your parents as a kid? Running away to the swim at the beach

If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Travelling

What do you love the most about your job? Working with an awesome team

What do you love the least about your job? The Clerk of Court Division being understaffed

CASE FILINGS CASE FILINGS CASE FILINGS

The charts and graphs below provide the data collected from Januart 1 to December 31, 2025

3 Family Court Cases

Drug Court Docket

Established in 2016, the CNMI Drug Court Docket (DCD) provides appropriate and effective mechanisms for offenders with substance use disorders, and continues to strive to meet the mandates of the Drug Court Act, Public Law 1914 Its guiding principles are based on the 10 Key Components of Drug Courts, national drug courts best practice standards and evidence-based strategies, and program goals and objectives In addition, it continues to engage in strategies that achieve the goals of the Judiciary’s Strategic Plan

For 2025, program participants continued to engage in an 18–24 month treatment program Upon completion of entrance protocols, they undergo a comprehensive, holistic approach, combining intensive judicial interaction, aggressive community supervision, frequent drug testing, case management, and substance and alcohol treatment services This comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated community-based approach links participants to various services and resources based on individual needs and in accordance with the treatment plans Services provided by various agencies include, but are not limited to, housing support, employment opportunities, mentoring services, volunteer opportunities, health services, daycare services, and job readiness training The DCD:

Averaged 32 participants per quarter;

Received an average of 6 referrals per quarter;

Deemed 2 referrals as unsuitable for the program; Terminated 8 participants from the program; and Graduated 8 participants from the program. NOTE: Graduates that complete the program met all supervision requirements and were either gainfully employed or enrolled in a higher education program

Throughout 2025, the DCD caseworkers continued to provide daily support, coordinated substance use disorder treatment, and community resources/services for participants by working closely with providers, while guiding each participant through each phase of the program The DCD caseworkers were able to initiate the following activities:

Completed 774 total case management meetings; and Conducted 386 total participant referrals to various community agencies

The DCD supervision unit coordinated intense community supervision and monitoring activities, such as curfew checks, home inspections, and daily phone check-ins, to ensure participants were engaged in a comprehensive accountability track The DCD community supervision workers utilized evidence-based drug court standards and research to provide a holistic approach in addressing criminal thinking patterns, while maintaining intense and frequent accountability measures In addition, the supervision unit administered random and frequent alcohol and drug testing - at least three (3) tests per participant every week - to uphold the effectiveness and efficiency of the program For 2025, the supervision unit:

Received 3,089 total call-ins combined; Conducted 43 home placement assessments; Initiated 208 total curfew checks; Supervised 478 total community work hours; and Administered 2,799 total alcohol and drug tests 89.6% of the tests were negative (291 positive results and 2,509 negative results)

See Table 21 for additional data breakdown

DCD Data & Statistics

Graph4 AverageNumber ofParticipantsbyQuarter

Graph5 NumberofIncentives andSanctionsbyQuarter

Graph6.NumberofCase ManagementbyQuarter

Graph7.PercentageofDrug TestsAdministeredbyQuarter

Graph8 Numberof ReferralsbyQuarter

Graph9.PercentageofSupervision Activities/HoursbyType

Family Court Division

For 2025, the Judiciary’s Family Court Docket continued to strive to meet the mandates of the Family Court Act of 1995, by allowing clients easy access to court services with the assistance of its Family Court Division (FCD) The FCD provided administrative support to the Family Court Docket, as well as assisted the Clerk of Court in processing pleadings and distributing orders for pro se clients before the Family Court Judge. The FCD also offered client services to families and individuals who sought access to the court system, which required the FCD to be proactive in assisting clients with preparing and filing complaints and pleadings in a timely manner

Pro Se Services: Throughout the year, the FCD continued to focus on improving services for selfrepresented or pro se clients who

accessed their office via walk-in, call, or email Services have included providing information about filing procedures, preparing appropriate court forms and filing fees, reviewing petitions, complaints, and other pleadings prior to filing to ensure compliance with format requirements, and searching for case information, such as hearing dates and case statuses In addition, the FCD distributed court orders, contacted court litigants for upcoming hearing dates, and deadlines to submit certain documents and pleadings In 2025, there were 4,697 total services rendered and 358 total cases filed.

Electronic Forms: All FCD forms, including pro se forms, continued to be available and downloadable on the Judiciary’s website in Microsoft Word format The FCD continued to reformat its forms to PDF-fillable forms and plans to complete this task by the summer of 2026 Several clients used the pro se center computers to complete temporary restraining order petitions

Alternative Dispute Resolution: The FCD continued to offer the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program Clients had the option to address their matters and issues through mediation, a main form of ADR, which may address a dispute without lengthy court hearings In 2025, there were no pro se cases referred for mediation.

DNA Paternity Testing: The FCD continued to coordinate and oversee genetic testing between on/off-island medical facilities, the parties, and their respective attorneys of record, if any; this included coordinating sample collections, notice requirements, reporting test results, and cost recovery with all appropriate parties. The cost of recovery for the DNA tests is governed by 8 CMC § 1715 Supervision of these essential tests leads to the speedy resolution of contested paternity cases In 2025, there were a total of four (4) cases referred for DNA testing.

Referral Services: The FCD continued to assist clients with referral orders as entered by the Family Court Judge In many cases, the FCD processed referrals for parties ordered to seek social services Reports from social service agencies on client status and compliance with court orders were provided to the FCD for filing and forwarding to the Family Court Judge In 2025, a total of 94 clients were referred to the following partnering agencies for assessments and services: Community Guidance Center for intake and assessment; Office of the Attorney General’sVictim Witness Advocacy Unit and Child Support Enforcement; Marianas Legal Services Center for additional assistance; Hope Recovery Center - SAAR; Karidat; and counsel

Separating Parents Class: Usually conducted on a quarterly basis and facilitated by Mr Joseph Kevin Villagomez, Clinical Supervisor for Treatment & Recovery at the Community Guidance Center, there were three (3) Separating Parents classes conducted in May, August, and November 2025, with a total of 22 parties ordered to attend classes

Compact Impact Data: The FCD continued to collect data on clients from the Freely Associated States (FAS), which includes the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands In 2025, the FCD served a total of 26 clients from the FAS.

2025 FCD highlights, statistical information, and data include:

Rendered 4,697 total services and filed a total of 358 cases; Referred 4 total cases for DNA paternity testing; Referred 94 total clients to partnering agencies for assessments and services; Completed 8 court-ordered home studies; Held 3 separating parents classes in May, August, and November, with a total of 22 court-ordered attendees; and Served a total of 26 clients from the FAS

See Table 22 for additional data breakdown

FCD Data & Statistics

Graph10 TotalNumberof ServicesRenderedbyQuarter

Graph11.TotalNumberofCases FiledbyQuarter

Graph12.TotalNumberof ServicesRenderedbyType

Graph13.PercentageofFAS ClientsServedbyOrigin

Mental Health Court Docket

Established in 2021 through Administrative Order 2021-ADM-0010-RUL, the Mental Health Court Docket (MHCD) continued its efforts to provide a holistic evidence-based approach in bringing together criminal justice agencies and mental health professionals to identify and treat participants with serious mental illness (SMI) Throughout 2025, the MHCD maintained its commitment to promoting a holistic approach to justice and addressing the dynamic needs of its participants, despite the limited availability of treatment services on island Unfortunately, due to the unavailability of certain resources, finding individualized treatment options continues to be a major challenge for the MHCD

For 2025, the MHCD experienced several key developments that strengthened both internal capacity and community engagement, continued to actively engage and expand its

professional development, outreach, interagency collaboration, and program exploration efforts, while continuing to strengthen collaborative partnerships and system knowledge through key meetings and community engagement activities Over the first two quarters, the MHCD initiated the hiring of Caseworker I Tiffany Yokoyama-Lizama and Program Specialist Jaiden Santos – a position funded through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program Grant; expanded programmatic and outreach efforts by incorporating participant site visits with community partners, including Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services (NMC-CREES), the Saipan Mayor’s Office Dog Control Program, and the Center for Living Independently (CLI), to promote purposebuilding and wraparound support; continued to assess the viability of a Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) in the CNMI; hosted a 30-hour intern from the Northern Marianas College, Katmelo San Nicolas, who gained exposure to treatment court operations and conducted research on VTCs nationwide and their applicability to the CNMI; and hosted several Treatment Court Month activities in May, including a roadside waving and yoga and nutrition hour, to promote wellness, visibility, and community engagement.

For the remainder of the year, the MHCD saw the completion and submission of the VTC viability study; extension of the Byrne Discretionary Grant for another 12 months; enabling of grant subrecipient WestCare Pacific Islands to begin offering services to MHCD participants; purchasing of purchase telehealth equipment, including a laptop for participant use to support virtual meetings, assignments, and project completion; meeting with All Rise Justice for Vets staff to discuss VTC operations, collaboration efforts, and ongoing court-related matters; serving on the Prevention and Recovery Awareness Months (PRAM) Committee, contributing to planning and coordination efforts focused on prevention, recovery, and public education; and received a presentation from the Department of Corrections Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program, which outlined program services and its role in supporting justice-involved individuals with substance use disorders.

For 2025, the MHCD scheduled a total of 308 treatment sessions, with an attendance percentage of 93% and distributed a total of 38 incentives to program participants, but also imposed a total of 37 sanctions due to a total of 103 program violations There were no new arrests made under the MHCD

Our vision is to focus on offender rehabilitation including teaching accountability and promoting healthy and positive behaviors facilitated by a dedicated and committed mental health court team comprised of court judges and staff, executive branch agencies, and private organizations that provide services and resources for individuals with mental illness.

MHCD Data & Statistics

2025 MHCD highlights, statistical information, and data include:

Scheduled a total of 308 treatment sessions, while achieving an attendance percentage of 93%;

Distributed a total of 38 incentives and imposed a total of 37 sanctions; Recorded a total of 103 program violations; Recorded 0 violations, 0 sanctions, and 100% attendance percentage for 3rd quarter; and Recorded 0 new arrests for the entire year

See Table 23 for additional data breakdown

Graph14 NumberofSessions AttendedbyQuarter

Graph15 NumberofIncentives andSanctionsbyQuarter

Graph16.Numberof ViolationsbyQuarter

Graph17.PercentageofIncentives byType

Office of Adult Probation Supervision Office of Adult Probation S

The Office of Adult Probation Supervision (OAPS) was established under Public Law 11-46, reformed under Public Law 15-46, and continues to be committed to curbing recidivism using evidence-based strategies and best practices to become efficient in reaching its legal obligations. The OAPS works to effectuate positive change in probation clients, restore a wellbalanced response to victims of crime, and increase justice accountability.

Under the direction of the Presiding Judge, the Chief Probation Officer is charged with the overall administration and operation of the division Probation Officers supervise adult criminal and traffic offenders by ensuring court-ordered conditions are followed The OAPS’s legal obligations are to ensure community safety, court reports, rehabilitation, and victim restitution and services

“The OAPS collective and driving mission is Enforcement, Accountability, Responsibility, and Restoration of Justice. ”

The OAPS consists of the following 5 units: Administration; Pretrial Investigation; Criminal & Traffic; Programs & Services; and Victims of Crime. In 2025, the division reported the following statistical information and data:

Recorded 2,291 total clients/visitors to its office; Documented 250 new cases/referrals; Provided 1,179 instances of programmatic services; Conducted 502 post-sentence drug tests; Completed 483 case management sessions; and Scanned 369 case files containing a total of 15,599 pages, as part of its case file scanning project

See Table 24 for additional data breakdown

OAPS Data & Statistics

Graph20.Numberof

Juvenile Court

In 2025, the Juvenile Court continued to uphold the laws established under Public Law 16-47, also known as the Juvenile Justice Act of 2008 This law gives the Superior Court authority over juvenile cases, as well as cases involving adults who were under 18 at the time of the alleged offense Juvenile cases are handled differently from adult criminal cases They are civil in nature and where the primary focus is to assist the youth develop into wholesome members of the community

Throughout 2025, Juvenile Court staff participated in trainings and conferences related to juvenile justice, which provided effective, research-based approaches to better support youth involved in the court system With the newly-hired Juvenile Coordinator, Lorielyn D. Lacay, the Judiciary was able to launch a pilot Juvenile Court Orientation in December for

youth and their families, which aims to explain the court process to them in hopes of reducing stress and anxiety. In addition, the intake form developed and utilized by the Juvenile Coordinator to capture informative data during the orientation, further supports the consistent collection of demographical and case-related data she continues to manually collect and analyze in order to identify trends in juvenile cases filed with the court

In addition to receiving funds from the Criminal Justice Planning Agency to support access to training and needed materials, the Judiciary was also awarded grant funding in September 2025 from the State Justice Institute in the amount of $115,000 for technical assistance in order to initiate a comprehensive assessment of the juvenile justice system. This project will analyze current laws, policies and procedures, identify gaps in practice, and support the development and implementation of a statewide action plan for system improvement

Juvenile Court accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include:

A total of 14 cases were filed; Conducted a total of 214 hearings; and Awarded $115,000 00 in grant funding for technical assistance

See Table 25 for additional data breakdown

Graph22.NumberofCases FiledbyEthnicity

Graph23.NumberofHearings ConductedbyQuarter

For 2025, the Director of Courts Sonia A Camacho continued to lead all operations under the Judiciary Administrative Office (JAO) in an efficient manner to ensure effective management of court operations with limited resources, while reinforcing information and technology systems and maintaining long-standing government relations. Sonia has a long and distinguished record of service to the Judiciary in supervisory and advisory capacities, and continues to add to her legacy in the administration of the courts as its Director

A main focus on the Judiciary’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2028, the JAO continues to oversee programs and projects for courthouses and services across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota The Director assists with activities funded through various local and federal sources, serving eight chambers and fifteen departments. The JAO plays a pivotal role in the management of various functions that strengthen the court’s ability to effectively serve the public With the assistance of the Program Specialist Gregorio U Tudela, Client Services Navigator Maria Terlaje, and the newly-appointed Deputy Director of Courts Martha M. Standish, the Judiciary continues to maintain a strong administrative foundation promoting access, trust, and a centered justice system that connects courts and ccommunities

Guided by the Judiciary’s mission and vision, the JAO’s goals include, but are not limited to:

Implementing national and evidence-based standards for case management in both trial and appellate courts; Advancing evidence-based rehabilitative approaches to justice through treatment courts; Expanding hybrid services through technology and access devices;

Maintaining workforce wellness and merit-based and competitive compensation plans for staff; and Promoting performance-based administrative programs that support judicial services and equal access

Budget and Finance Office

Under the guidance and supervision of Director John T. Villagomez, the Budget and Finance Office (BAFO) continued to oversee all financial matters in the Judiciary, including monitoring and certifying expenditures, as well as processing invoices and disbursing the payments For 2025, the BAFO maintained its daily operations of cashiering services and invoice and fiduciary processing In July 2025, under the new organizational chart, the Procurement Section, the Grants Management Office, and the Facilities Maintenance Office have now been placed under the purview of the BAFO and its Director

The BAFO consists of the following 9 FTEs:

Budget and Finance Director - John T Villagomez

Procurement Officer - Christine D. Aninzo

Grants Manager - Gregorio U Tudela

Buildings Superintendent - Gerald E Weaver

Buildings and Grounds Maintenance - Jose M. Villagomez

Accountant II - Evelyn P Calvo

Accountant I - Shanna W Flores

Administrative Officer - Alexander O. Lauron

Administrative Assistant - Steven S Cabrera

FY 2026 Budget: The FY 2026 budget proposal was submitted on March 1, 2025 The total request was for $13,650,623; which included $8,657,393 in personnel, $4,273,230 in all others (general), $720,000 for all others (utilities) and also requested for 161 full-time employees

In September, Public Law 24-14 was passed including $6,185,465 for the Judiciary; $5,674,222 in personnel, $150,000 in all others (general), and $300,000 for all others (utilities). In December, Public Law 24-20 (a revised FY 2026 budget) was passed appropriating $5,724,250 for the Judiciary; this was a total decrease of $461,214 from the budget that was passed in September. This includes $5,259 318 in personnel $192 761 in all others (general), and $272,171 for

BAFO accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include:

Budget and Finance Director

Processing a total of 1,572 invoices totaling $2,915,335 86;

Processing a total of 123 checks for bail exoneration in the amount of $89,300.017;

Disbursed a total of 1,507 checks for child support payments in the amount of $432,306 04; and Collected a total of $866,048.44 in revenue.

See Table 26 for additional data breakdown

Graph25.Numberof OfficeActivitybyQuarter

Graph26.Percentageof RevenueGeneratedby Quarter

Procurement Section

Since February 2023, the Procurement Section has been headed by Procurement Officer Christine D. Aninzo. For most of 2025, the Procurement Officer operated without the assistance of the Budget and Finance Office (BAFO) Administrative Officer who transitioned to another position within the Judiciary Since November 2025, the Procurement Officer has been assisted by the newly-hired BAFO Administrative Officer Alexander Lauron

For 2025, the Procurement Section continued to review purchase requisitions, issue purchase orders, award and execute contracts, change orders, and task orders It also continued to publish Request for Proposals, Invitation for Bids, through the Vendor Self Service portal and the procurement page on the Judiciary’s website

In addition, the Procurement Officer’s continued involvement in several Judiciary committees was crucial to staying informed on ongoing projects, understanding specific procurement needs, and ensuring compliance with the Rules of Procurement. The Procurement Officer has been involved with the following committees: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), eRecording, eCourt, 2023-2028 Strategic Plan Goal No 5, Finance, and Grants, and has participated in a significant amount of meetings in 2025, excluding procurement-specific meetings such as status meetings or kick-off meetings

Procurement Section accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include:

Reviewed a total of 1,081 purchase requisitions into MUNIS; Issuing a total of 32 purchase orders; Executing 6 contracts and 6 change orders; Participating in approximately 40 (12+committee meetings; and Completing a total of 40 (5+contract-related meetings

See Table 27 for additional data breakdown

Graph27.NumberofPurchase RequisitionsandOrdersbyQuarter

Graph28 Numberof PublicationsbyQuarter

Graph29.Percentageof ContractsbyType

Graph30.NumberofMeetings AttendedbyType

The Procurement Section strives to provide fair and equitable treatment of all persons involved in the public procurement process by the Judiciary, and aims to maximize the purchasing value of public funds in procurement of goods and services.

Commonwealth Recorder’s Office

The Commonwealth Recorder’s Office (CRO) manages public records in the CNMI and handles records related to land, property, personal property, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings, liens, commercial transactions, and marriages. For 2025, the CRO continued to fulfill its main duties to: a) file all documents accurately and in a timely manner; b) manage, index, update, and retain records for land, property, UCCs, liens, and other official documents; c) maintain and preserve marriage records; c) convert paper records into electronic format for easier access and preservation; and provide search and retrieval of records through electronic systems

Office and Staff: The CRO remained fully staffed throughout 2025 and successfully relocated all files and furniture from the Marianas Business Plaza back to Guma’ Hustisia in January 2025, consolidating operations at a single location. In December 2025, the CRO relocated within the Guma’ Hustisia and switched offices with the Budget and Finance Office

Electronic Recording (eRecording) Services Platform: The CRO continued to offer its eRecording Services Platform which provides an integrated online portal for title companies, financial institutions, attorneys, and the public to submit documents electronically for recording and access recorded documents, data, and images for research The final meeting with TriMin was held in February 2025, confirming near-complete data migration and stable system operations The platform is accessible from any internet-enabled device and celebrated its three-year anniversary on October 27, 2025

Scanning, Auditing, and Indexing Project: The CRO continued the scanning, auditing, and indexing project which supports the digitization of CRO records for import into the eRecording Services Platform, enabling online public research The contract was awarded to AP Group, LLC and includes the scanning, auditing, and indexing of CRO documents, including both paper records and microfilm, to ensure accurate digital conversion and accessibility through the electronic recording platform The CRO continued post-project auditing activities for 2025

Uniform License and Certificate of Marriage and Marriage Application Project: The CRO continued its project to modernize and standardize the CNMI marriage application, licensing, recordation forms, and certificate process It involves revising forms to align with current statutes, improving clarity and usability, and integrating an online application component in collaboration with TurnKey Solutions Coordination efforts continued to include the Governor’s Office, Mayor’s Offices, Office of the General Counsel, and other stakeholders to ensure legal accuracy and implementation across all jurisdictions The modernization project has achieved formal approval through the signed MOA on December 17, 2025 Uniform marriage application and certificate forms have been finalized for implementation, with prior e-recording training completed Online application development is pending and requires further progress to be operational

CRO accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include:

Filed a total of 1,681 documents and a total of 281 UCC filings

Filed a total of 508 marriage certificates and provided a total of 589 copies of marriage certificates

Issued a total of 2,239 document copies

See Table 28 for additional data breakdown

Graph31.Number ofDocument FilingsbyType

Graph32.Percentage ofMarriageCerts FiledbyQuarter

Graph33.Number ofUCCFilingsby Quarter

Graph34.Number ofCopiesby Quarter

Human Resources Office

For 2025, the Human Resources Office (HRO) continued to play a crucial role in overseeing and supporting all employee-related functions within the Judiciary. Its core responsibilities encompassed a wide range of activities, including but not limited to recruiting staff; developing and distributing policies; providing essential information regarding employment and labor laws, as well as employee benefits; conducting new employee orientations; facilitating professional development opportunities; maintaining comprehensive personnel records; supporting employees by assisting them in obtaining necessary records and responding to various information requests; providing consultations on a range of employment-related issues; and coordinating training sessions and professional development workshops to enhance employee skills and support career growth

Throughout 2025, the HRO collaborated closely with every division, offering consistent support and addressing their specific needs and played an active role in the following variety of additional activities: the relocation of HR files from the Marianas Business Plaza back to the main office; assisting in the designation of safety-sensitive officers and amendments to related policies; participating in category Z project meetings; participating in the Co-Op Education & Training Program which provided the Judiciary with 5 high school students that worked in various divisions; planning, preparing, and assisting with the 2025 Judiciary Professional Development Summit; assisting hospitality subcommittee for the Pacific Judicial Council Mid-Year Conference; assisting the hosting of the In Memoriam service in honor of Jesus S Santos; coordinating the health insurance open enrollment period for the 2026 Government Group Health and Life Insurance plan; and coordinated several festive activities and events within the Judiciary, such as Holiday Treats Day and Christmas caroling.

HRO accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include:

Processing a total of 120 NOPAs; Conducting a total of 997 consultations/visits; Assisting in providing a total of 31 professional development activities; and Scanning a total of 63 files of employee record information and Judiciary policies, totaling 292 pages scanned.

See Table 29 for additional data breakdown

Graph35.NumberofNOPAs ProcessedbyType

Graph36.NumberofNOPAs ProcessedbyQuarter

Graph37.Percentageof ConsultationsConductedbyQuarter

Facilities Maintenance Section

For 2025, the Facilities Maintenance Section (FMS) continued its monthly preventative maintenance and on-going tasks, which includes but is not limited to conducting preventative maintenance activities for lawn and grounds, HVAC system, elevator system, and fire extinguishers, daily water level monitoring, event set-up, jury set-up, on-going lighting replacement, as well as responding to requests reported to FMS

FMS prioritized requests based on risks to health, safety and the environment as well as the availability of the Building Superintendent Despite having only two staff for 2025 and various unforeseen emergencies, the FMS continued to maintain the Judiciary’s building grounds, facility, and equipment at the Guma’ Hustisia, although work at Kotten Tinian and Rota Centron Hustisia has been more limited.

In addition, the FMS also provided instrumental assistance to contractors, ensuring that ongoing projects and special maintenance progressed without avoidable delay

Grants Management Section

In 2025, the Grants Management Section (GMS) saw several transitions after the retirement of Grants Administrator James W Stowell in February Program Administrator Martha M Standish was designated Grants Administrator until the Program Specialist Gregorio U Tudela took over as the new Grants Manager in November. GMS maintained compliance with federal regulations while significantly improving the Judiciary and the community through grants Despite operating as a single-person office, the GMS maintained compliance with federal regulations and oversaw 40 active grants.

Throughout 2025, under the Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) Grant Sub-Awards, the GMS submitted a total of 15 applications and was awarded a total of 13 sub-awards totaling $187,292 By the end of the year, 29 CJPA subawards totaling $559,455 were tracked in MUNIS Activities under the Department of Justice (DOJ) Grants include: denial of the Drug Court grant extension request; the approval of the Veterans Treatment Court no-cost extension request; the approval of the Mental Health Court P&I Guide, which activated WestCare services; the completion and installation of the gates and bollards; the initiation of elevator repair and modernization activities under the Courthouse Security Grant; the approval of the Courthouse Security Grant nocost extension request; and the completion and approaching closeout for PW46 (Tinian), pending a 90-day extension for PW154 (Saipan Elevator) and a formal review of a scope of work modification for PW15 (Rota) under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Since September, the GMS continues to assist in the management of the newly awarded SJI Juvenile Court Systems Assessment Grant In addition to this, the GMS also submitted a proposal in August for grant funding under the Office of Insular Affairs EIC Program to procure and install a 174 kW solar panel system at the Guma’ Hustisia Other adiminstrative undertakings include successfully renewing the Judiciary’s SAM gov and CAGE Code in January, then restoring full access to JustGrants in September after coordnating DIAMD/SAM updates, which are Federal Grant Systems

Lastly, the GMS also participated in a Congressional budget listening session in August with the CNMI Delegate’s Office to discuss Community Project Funds (CPF) and the Judiciary’s priorities Moreover, due to the Federal government shutdown from October 1 through November 12, the disruption of communications from Federal agencies caused some slight delays in grant actions requiring BJA guidance

GMS accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include:

Restoring full JustGrants access

Completion of courthouse security installations

Securing SJI Juvenile Court Assessment Award

Submission of a $1 1M renewable energy proposal

See Table 30 for additional data breakdown

Marshals Service Division

Established under 1 CMC § 3901, the Marshals Service Division (MSD) continued serving as the Judiciary’s law enforcement officers For 2025, the MSD strived to meet its obligations under PL 17-41 § 3902:

Public Safety & Security - This includes the safety of the Justices, Judges, staff, litigants, visitors, as well as Judiciary facilities/buildings For 2025, MSD screened a total of 51,631 patrons upon entering all Judiciary facilities and confiscated a total of 132 contraband items

Protective Service - This includes bench protection for Justices and Judges outside of the courthouse on official business For 2025, MSD completed a total of 87 bench protection assignments.

Enforcement - This includes serving warrants of arrest, bench warrants, jury summons, writs of possession, and extradition For 2025, MSD conducted a total of 892 different types of field services

Detention - This includes escorting detainees and transporting remanded individuals to DOC For 2025, MSD escorted a total of 592 prisoners

Administration - This includes participating in lawful information sharing with other CNMI and Federal entities regarding employee and applicant background and pre-certification checks, as well as gathering and compiling service data and statistics for reports, budget submissions, and legislation

See Table 31 for additional data breakdown

Information Systems Office

For 2025, the Information Systems Office (ISO) continued maintaining daily operations across all the Judiciary’s facilities despite only having three FTEs. The ISO was able to complete several projects including, but not limited to:

distributed 90 new Dell Latitude 7450 laptops to Judiciary personnel; configured and deployed 10 all-in-one Dell Micro desktops to the courtrooms; installed Starlink at the Guma’ Hustisia and Rota Centron Hustisia, providing satellite broadband connectivity; advancement of the Broadband Backbone Project - a) upgraded hub rooms with Layer 3 Ubiquiti switches (phase IV) and b) received CAT6a cables for cable replacements (phase V); deployed 3 Televic and Vissonic audio and wireless conference systems in 3 out of 8 courtrooms to initiate the modernization of the courtroom systems; completed one pilot audio system overhaul in Courtroom 220; initiated technical planning for security system expansion across all Judiciary facilities under the Courthouse Security Grant project; dedicated 10 laptops reserved with SKB storage cases for continuity of operations (COOP) and preparation at alternate locations; and assisted in the relocation of the Budget and Finance Office and the C lth R d ’ Offi i l di i t bli

ISO initiatives for 2026 include: Completing Broadband Backbone Phase IV testing and continuing Phase V cable replacements; Scaling courtroom audiovisual upgrades to the remaining courtrooms; Advancing security infrastructure through BYRNE grant funding; Expanding online payment capabilities for court fees; and Addressing critical staffing needs to restore the five-person team model

Limited English Proficiency Office

The CNMI is home to a multicultural population that speaks a variety of languages and dialects Individuals who do not speak English as their primary language or have limited English communication abilities are considered to be limited English proficient (LEP) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires recipients of federal financial assistance to provide reasonable access to individuals with LEP and DHH (Deaf or Hard of Hearing) As a recipient and in response to this mandate, the Judiciary established its Language Access Policy and Plan (LAPP)

For 2025, the Judiciary continued to provide these services through the LEP Office to ensure that they are provided as needed and that all forms and signage are in compliance with the LAPP policy Moreover, the LEP Office registered 8 new court interpreters who successfully met the necessary qualifications to provide critical language services in legal settings Their role is essential in ensuring that individuals with limited English proficiency can understand and participate fully in court proceedings. Lastly, the LEP Office continued to translate court documents and forms into different languages as needed by other divisions

LEP Office professional development, accomplishments, and highlights for 2025 include:

Registered 8 new court interpreters; Conducted 1 LAPP Interpreter’s Training session; Attended a webinar training: AI-Assisted Translations in the Courts; Translated several court forms and documents; and Documented 429 total requests for language services

Graph41 NumberofRequestsbyCaseType

Graph42.NumberofRequestsbyLanguage

Graph43.NumberofRequestsbyOffice

KOTTEN TINIAN

Kotten Tinian is located in San Jose and opened in 1999. It allows residents access to judicial services on the home island rather than traveling to Saipan to do so Kotten Tinian received further technological improvements in 2017 and 2018. Recently, CARES Act provided funds for fiber optic upgrades at Kotten Tinian

Superior Court hearings are held in Tinian twice a month, and the Supreme Court periodically holds oral arguments Kotten Tinian successfully completed a variety of projects, including the removal of ducts

Additionally, the Judiciary hosted several events at Kotten Tinian, such as the Law Revision Commission (LRC) Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Training, LRC Website Training, and Language Access Training, and the Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week Proclamation Signing

After a period without a Deputy Marshal at Kotten Tinian, Joel D. Ignacio was hired in November 2025

What was your best accomplishment or highlight at the Judiciary? Getting sworn in

What was your favorite childhood movie? Lion King

What is your favorite food? T-Bone Steak medium rare with mashed potatoes

What is your high school mascot? Stallions

What is the single most important thing to help you navigate a challenge at work? Staying calm and positive.

What was your first job? Gas pump attendant

What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Eating breakfast for dinner.

What's the weirdest food combination you enjoy? Apples and peanut butter

If you could give one piece of advice to someone newly starting the Judiciary, what would it be and why? Don’t assume, just ask; never assume on a task, just ask and everyone will be happy to assist or give an answer

What is something on your bucket list? Spearfishing at Pagan

What is your biggest pet peeve? The sound of Styrofoam rubbing

What is an unusual skill you have? I can on command, zoom in on tiny word writings

What did you get into the most trouble for with your parents as a kid? Getting caught with cigarettes.

If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Backpacking around Asia

What do you love the most about your job? No graveyard shift

What do you love the least about your job? Dealing with annoying people

ROTA CENTRON HUSTISIA

Rota Centron Hustisia in Sinapalo was completed in 2005, providing residents of the island with efficient access to justice It houses the Superior Court, the Office of Adult Probation Supervision, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Public Defender, and the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Motor Vehicles

Superior Court hearings are held in Rota twice a month, and the Supreme Court periodically holds oral arguments

In 2025, Centron Hustisia underwent several improvements, including a tile installation project, gate valve replacement, additional air conditioning unit in the courtroom, and the installation of Starlink for enhanced connectivity

In addition to these improvements, Centron Hustisia hosted several events, including the Law Revision Commission (LRC) Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Training, LRC Website Training, and Language Access Training and Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week Proclamation Signing On October 21, 2025, students from the Sinapalo Elementary School came for a site visit

Scanning Clerks Elvira M Quitigua and Micca B King continued to work on the scanning project, ensuring the proper digitization and auditing of files As a result of their efforts, a total of 1,751 files, consisting of 71,570 pages have been disposed, along with 63 cassette tapes.

What was your best accomplishment or highlight at the Judiciary? Being able to assist with online clearance/records requests and receiving great compliments in return

What was your favorite childhood movie? Pocahontas

What is your favorite food? Sushi.

What is your high school mascot? Rota Bucks

What is the single most important thing to help you navigate a challenge at work? Asking questions when I'm unsure and clarify what is expected of me so I can complete tasks properly

What was your first job? Part-time staff at Chuck E Cheese

What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Watching The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

What's the weirdest food combination you enjoy? I don't think I have tried or enjoyed any weird food combination

If you could give one piece of advice to someone newly starting the Judiciary, what would it be and why? Be willing to learn and adapt in your role. Change is constant, so it's important to grow and adjust as changes occur

What is something on your bucket list? Skydiving.

What is your biggest pet peeve? Being late

What is an unusual skill you have? I'm not sure if it's considered unusual, but most days I wake up just before my morning alarm rings

What did you get into the most trouble for with your parents as a kid? I was a very obedient kid Probably staying up late on weekends and chatting with my friends on AOL.

If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Traveling the world and experiencing different places and cultures

What do you love the most about your job? I get to help people navigate the criminal justice system

What do you love the least about your job? That I only get to physically mingle with other Judiciary staff once a year at professional development

Law Revision Commission

Established by 1 CMC § 3801, the Law Revision Commission (LRC) reviews all Commonwealth public laws, local laws, and promulgated administrative regulations, updates the Commonwealth Code (CMC) and the Northern Mariana Islands Administrative Code (NMIAC), as well as publishes the decisions rendered by the Supreme Court The main responsibility of the LRC is to ensure accessible, wellorganized, and dependable access to Commonwealth law for the public In 2025, LRC continued to regularly update and refine its database and website, ensuring alignment with the public and local laws enacted by the Legislature, administrative rules established by the Executive Branch, and published court decisions

Pursuant to its publication mandates, the LRC maintains and updates its website, cnmilaw.org, to represent current law for all three branches of the Commonwealth government, serving as a central repository containing the Constitution, Covenant, CMC, NMIAC, public and local laws, decisions of the Supreme Court, court rules, decisions and orders of the Superior Court that have been designated for publication, executive orders, Attorney General opinions, local ordinances, Commonwealth Registers and Territorial Registers, proposed and emergency regulations, and historical legal materials

In addition, LRC creates and sells publications such as the Driver’s Handbook, responds to inquiries regarding Commonwealth law from the public, cooperates with government entities regarding legal material needs, hosts information and training sessions, and provides guidance related to legal research LRC accomplishments and highlights for 2025 include reviewing, converting, and uploading to its website:

A total of 24 public laws and 34 local laws from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota; A total of 12 regular issues and 2 addendum issues of the Commonwealth Register; A total of 14 opinions issued by the NMI Supreme Court and 39 Superior Court decisions marked for publication; and Numerous Judiciary legal materials, such as Notices of Certification, Judicial Administrative Orders, Supreme Court General Orders, and Court Rules published by the Supreme Court

Total Unique Visitors: 482,005

Total Hits: 9.76 million

Total Bandwidth Used: 2.48 TB

PDF Usage: 61–65% of traffic Most Used Browser: Safari (~70%)

Graph44.NumberofUploaded DocumentsbyType

Graph45.NumberofLRC ProductsSoldbyQuarter

Law and the Freshman Legislator

Background

On January 9, the Judiciary held the 11th Biennial Law and the Freshman Legislator Seminar at the Guma’ Hustisia. At the seminar, the justices and judges of the Judiciary and U S District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands delivered several presentations to the newly-elected members of the Commonwealth Legislature and, for the first time, a newly-elected member of the Municipal Council

Four newly-elected legislators, comprising of a senator and three members of the House of Representatives, participated in the program. The legislators are:

Senator-Elect Ronnie M Calvo (Rota - Precinct 7)

Representative-Elect Raymond U Palacios (Saipan - Precinct 1)

Representative-Elect Daniel I Aquino Jr (Saipan - Precinct 2)

Representative-Elect Elias M. Rangamar (Saipan - Precinct 3)

Municipal Council Member-Elect Carmen C. Pangelinan also participated in the seminar

The seminar included a lecture on the Covenant and the NMI and U S Constitutions, an overview of the judicial process, a discussion on the common law, a presentation on legal research methods, and a roundtable discussion between the newly-elected officials and the judges and justices “This seminar continues to be an invaluable opportunity to foster relationships between the Judiciary and newly-elected officials while deepening their understanding of the vital role of the judicial branch in our government, ” said Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro.

Since beginning in 2004, the seminar has hosted 89 legislators and has earned widespread praise for its informative and collaborative approach Its lasting success has made it a staple among the Judiciary’s outreach programs

Freshmen Legislators

Representative-Elect

Elias M. Rangamar

Precinct 3 (Saipan)

Representative-Elect

Daniel I. Aquino

Precinct 2 (Saipan)

Municipal Council

Carmen C. Pangelinan

Saipan Municipal Council

Senator-Elect

Ronnie M. Calvo

Precinct 7 (Rota)

Representative-Elect

Raymond U. Palacios

Precinct 1 (Saipan)

COURT TOURS

Throughout the year, the Judiciary actively promoted community engagement by organizing and conducting five court tours for local schools and organizations These tours welcomed participants from Bada Art Studio on January 14, 2025; Min Jung Oh on February 25, 2025; Mount Carmel School on April 24 and October 3, 2025; and San Vicente Elementary School on June 4, 2025 Each visit provided students and community members with a valuable opportunity to learn about the judicial system, observe court operations, and participate in a special Kombetsasion held in the Supreme and Superior Court courtrooms, where students engaged in a lively and interactive question-and-answer session with the judges and justices

For more information on educational tours at Guma’ Hustisia, please contact the Office of the Director of Courts at (670) 236-9801.

School These sessions provide observe the appellate process, system, and engage directly wi bringing court proceedings into continues to promote civic edu among youth across the Comm

By stepping outside the courth strengthens its relationship with judicial system. Students leave are made and a greater apprec In this way, the Supreme Court and inspire civic engagement a

During each session, students o and respond to questions from appellate cases are examined a students to witness the importa respectful advocacy in the cour ask questions following the pro

Tree Planting at the Judiciary

Background

On February 11, 2025, staff from the Division of Forestry - Pedro Tudela, Anson Olebuu, Brian Somol, and Noah Reyes - once again visited the Guma’ Hustisia to plant additional trees around the building. Judiciary personnel and Forestry staff prepared the sites and planted several desert roses on the south side of the Guma’ Hustisia and mini flames trees on the north side of the building. This is a continued effort between the NMI Judiciary and the Division of Forestry to promote the importance of planting trees in the CNMI.

Division of Forestry

LAW WEEK

Joint Proclamation Signing Ceremony

On April 3, 2025, the NMI hosted a joint proclamation signing with Guam in celebration of Law Week Governor Arnold I Palacios, Senate President Dennis C Mendiola, and House Speaker Edmund Villagomez joined Chief Justice Alexandro C Castro, Justice John A Manglona, Justice Perry B Inos, Judge Kenneth L Govendo, and Judge Lillian A Tenorio in the Supreme Court courtroom Appearing virtually from Guam were Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero, Lieutenant Governor Joshua F. Tenorio, Speaker Frank F. Blas, Jr., and Chief Justice Robert J. Torres, Jr The proclamation celebrated the theme “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One” and the leaders from all three branches elaborated on what this means to them.

Law Week and Treatment Court Month Proclamation Signing

On April 25, 2025, the Judiciary held a dual ceremony at Guma’ Hustisia to commemorate Law Week and Treatment Court Month Lieutenant Governor David M Apatang, Senate President Dennis C Mendiola, House Speaker Edmund Villagomez, and Chief Judge Ramona V Manglona joined the judges and justices of the NMI Judiciary in kicking off Law Week, to be celebrated from April 28 to May 2, 2025, and Treatment Court Month in May 2025

In honor of May as Treatment Court Month, Judge Lillian A Tenorio presented an overview of the Mental Health Court Docket (MHCD) She discussed the benefits she has seen MHCD provide to the community since assuming leadership of the docket last year In addition, Maritoni DLR Duarte, a caseworker from the Community Guidance Center’s Transitional Living Center, delivered a heartfelt testimonial highlighting her work and its impact

Law Day Essay and Poster Awards Presentation

In celebration of Law Day, the NMI Judiciary holds an annual essay and poster contest open to all public and private elementary and middle school students in the CNMI Students in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota were invited to submit an essay and poster that align with this year’s Law Day theme, “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One ” The Constitution enshrines our collective responsibility to one another, and the theme urges us to take pride in a Constitution that bridges our differences to bring us together as a united nation Our civic lives tie us together as one “We, ” whether through legislative efforts that serve the common good, through military service, or by working together, every day, to fulfill the promise of E pluribus unum, or “Out of many, one ” (American Bar Association)

A total of 30 essays and 70 posters were submitted this year The winners of this year’s essay and poster contests were selected, and they, along with their teachers, principals, family, and friends were invited to attend the presentation of awards at the Law Week Proclamation Ceremony, held on April 25, 2025 at 10:00 a m at the Guma’ Hustisia

Middle School Essay Contest Winners

Chief Justice Award: Jamie Andrea Palabay, Green Meadow School, 7 Grade th

Associate Justice Award: Michael Guintu, Saipan International School, 8 Grade th

Supreme Court Award: Alleena Villaluz, Saipan International School, 8 Grade & Nicole Tangonan, Green Meadow School, 7 Grade th th

Honorable Mention: Jacie Quindoza, Green Meadow School, 8 Grade th

Elementary School Poster Contest Winners

Presiding Judge Award: Elizabeth Shi, Agape Christian School, 3 Grade rd

Associate Judge Award: Francheska Rionne A Zablan, Koblerville Elementary School, 5 Grade th Superior Court Award: Connie Zhu, Agape Christian School, 4 Grade th

Honorable Mention: Jayden Rei A Pulido, Green Meadow School, 5 Grade th

38TH ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CUP

Seven students competed in the event, representing schools from all three islands Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The students were evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges composed of Attorney General Edward Manibusan, Chief Justice Alexandro C Castro, Presiding Judge Roberto C Naraja, Chief Solicitor J Robert Glass, Jr , Chief of the Civil Division Alison Nelson, Chief of the Criminal Division Chester Hinds, Assistant Chief of the Civil Division Stephen Anson, and Assistant Chief of the Criminal Division Heather Barcinas Competitors were judged based on their content, the quality of their presentation, and the persuasiveness of their arguments

William Cano, a Junior student of Mount Carmel School won first place, ensuring Mount Carmel remained the defending champion In his speech, Cano stated, “Birthright citizenship should be upheld because for him and thousands of others who were born here, this is home ” He was followed by Tae Hee Kim of Grace Christian in second place, and Eianne Ladao of Dr Rita Hocog Inos Jr Sr High School in third place.

Another highlight of the competition was the presentation of a special award to Chief Judge Ramona Villagomez Manglona, recognizing her as a trailblazer in the legal profession After graduating from UC Berkeley and earning her law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law, Chief Judge Manglona began her distinguished career as a law clerk for the Commonwealth’s Trial Court. She later joined the Office of the Attorney General, where she first served in the Criminal Division before transitioning to the Civil Division In 2002, she was appointed Attorney General of the Commonwealth

Following her service as Attorney General, Chief Judge Manglona was appointed to the CNMI Superior Court, where she served as the only female judge for eight years She currently serves as the Chief Judge of the U S District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands In 2011, she made history by becoming the first person from the CNMI to be appointed to a federal court

Site Visit by Palau Judiciary Delegation

Site Visit

From June 30 to July 3, staff from the Palau Judiciary visited the Guma’ Hustisia and actively participated in several meetings, discussions, and training sessions The Palau delegation members--Senior Judge G Midth Bells, Clerk of Courts Allison I. Sengebau, Court Counsel Isabella Anderson, and MIS Programmer Trevor Villanueva--focused on:

eCourt system

eSupervision

eCitation & ePay It

eRecording

Website development

Delegation

G. Midth Bells Senior Judge, Court of Common Pleas

Allison I. Sengebau Clerk of Courts

Isabella Anderson Court Counsel

Trevor Villanueva MIS Programmer

Courthouse Security Grant Project

BACKGROUND

Through the assistance of the CNMI Delegate’s Office, the Judiciary applied for FY 2024 Community Projects Funding and received $850,000 through a grant award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The funding was utilized to implement the Courthouse Security Project which addresses critical security needs by reinforcing, hardening, and enhancing essential security measures at the courthouse facilities on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The current security system and infrastructure are outdated, and with increasing caseloads and growing services, it is essential to enhance the courts’ surveillance systems and access control mechanisms

The goal of this project is to reduce any potential threats to court personnel, patrons, and property by reinforcing, hardening, and enhancing essential security measures for all courthouse facilities The four main objectives are to 1) secure access points with door hardening and upgraded door lock keycard system; 2) install advanced security camera systems; 3) install perimeter fencing around the courthouses; and 4) modernize and repair the holding cell elevator at the Guma’ Hustisia building

The scope of the project is designed to address the Judiciary’s critical security needs and outdated security system and infrastructure that is insufficient in meeting the evolving demands of court security. This project includes procuring the essential equipment and professional services needed to ensure the timely and successful completion of the project Initially, the project scope was for a 12-month timeline of performance, but a request for a no-cost extension was submitted in September 2025 and approved on December 16, 2025

Submission of Application - 06/07/24

Awarding of Grant - 08/15/24

Acceptance of Grant Award - 09/16/24

Clearance of Budget - 03/11/25

Issuance of RFQ for Gates and Bollards - 10/31/24

Gates and Bollards Sole Source Memo06/26/25

Gates and Bollards Project Kick-Off Meeting07/03/25

Gates and Bollards Project Completion09/11/25

Final Walk-Through Inspection - 09/24/25

Issuance of RFP for Elevator Modernization04/07/25

Elevator Sole Source Memo - 05/20/25

Issuance of Notice to Proceed - 06/06/25

Elevator Project Kick-Off Meeting - 06/24/25

Mobilization/Arrival of Assembly Team and Staging - 09/23/25

Shipping of Equipment and ComponentsOctober 2025

Installation and Testing - October 2025 - March 2026

Elevator Project Completion - March 2026

Issuance of RFP for Door Hardening Purchase and Installation - February 2026

Issuance of RFP for Security Camera Purchase and Installation - Tinian and Rota - 10/08/25; SaipanFebruary 2026

Issuance of RFP for Fiber Optic Cable Purchase and Installation - 10/08/26

Issuance of Notice to Proceed - 12/30/25

Kick-Off Meeting and Start of Work - 01/05/26

PPP Supervision Proclamation Signing

Pretrial, Probation, and Parole

On July 18 at the Guma’ Hustisia, the Office of Adult Probation Supervision (OAPS), in collaboration with the Juvenile Probation Unit and the Division of Parole, celebrated a proclamation signing ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week from July 20 to 26, 2025

This year’s theme “Heroes Behind the Mission: Changing Lives, Enhancing Public Safety, ” pays tribute to the essential behind-the-scenes teamwork between the OAPS, Juvenile Probation Unit, and the Division of Parole in ensuring that individuals on probation or parole are guided towards a better path, while reducing the rate of recidivism during their integration into society. Governor Arnold I Palacios, Chief Justice Alexandro C Castro, and Judge Kenneth L Govendo, signed the proclamation and inspirational speeches were delivered by former probationers.

On July 21, proclamation ceremonies were held at the Kotten Tinian and Rota Centron Hustisia; on Tinian, Presiding Judge Roberto C Naraja and Acting Mayor of Tinian Joseph E Santos signed the resolution, while on Rota the resolution was signed by Justice Perry B Inos and Acting Mayor of Rota Jonavin Lizama

Other events celebrating PPPS week included division luncheons, presentations, professional development, a day of prayer, and a beach cleanup acitivity

Office of Adult Probation Services

NMI Judiciary

Juvenile Probation Unit Division of Youth Services

Division of Parole Department of Corrections

PACIFIC JUDICIAL COUNCIL CONFERENCE

CASE MANAGEMENT FOR JUDGES AND CHIEF CLERKS

The Case Management Conference for Judges and Chief Clerks was held on August 5-7, 2025, in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia.

Attendees from the Judiciary included Presiding Judge Roberto C Naraja, Clerk of the Supreme Court Judy T Aldan, Deputy Clerk of Court

Nora V. Borja, Judicial Assistant Tracy D. Limes, Deputy Clerk III Novelyn

A Wanna-Tenorio, and Deputy Clerk II Okalani R Shiprit

Court case management plays a vital role in ensuring that legal matters are handled fairly and efficiently, helping to reduce delays and confusion for everyone involved It also improves organization and accessibility within the justice system, making it easier for people to understand what to expect and when

Presentations were led by the Honorable Julie J Bernard, retired Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Trial Court, and Tonnya Kennedy Kohn, former Court Administrator of the South Carolina Judicial Branch They emphasized the importance of case management, the value of building strong partnerships in trial and appellate courts, and the judge’s role in setting the tone and pace of proceedings through effective communication and listening skills

Chief Justice Robert J Torres of the Guam Supreme Court also delivered a presentation on the use of artificial intelligence in case management

The Pacific Judicial Council regularly sponsors training programs and conferences for member jurisdictions The Joint Annual NMI District

BRANDON DELOS REYES MAKES HISTORY AS JUDICIAL ASSISTANT

Congratulations to Brandon H. Delos Reyes, who officially took the oath of office on August 28, 2025, as the Judicial Assistant to Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo. His appointment marks a historic milestone, as he becomes the first male Judicial Assistant in the Judiciary’s history. In his new role, Brandon will play a vital part in supporting the daily operations of Judge Govendo’s chambers and courtroom His responsibilities include:

Coordinating the judge’s schedule and court hearings

Preparing and organizing case documents, ensuring accuracy and timeliness

Serving as primary contact between the judge and attorneys, court staff, and the public

Providing essential administrative support for overall efficiency and professionalism

Reflecting on his appointment, Brandon shared: “I am honored for the trust Judge Govendo continuously places in me Having served as his Deputy Clerk for almost two years, it gave me a strong sense of how he operates in the courtroom and allowed me to gain valuable knowledge of courtroom procedures and daily operations. ”

He said his experience played a key role in making the transition to the Judicial Assistant position seamless. Brandon’s appointment reflects both a significant step forward in representation and the Judiciary’s ongoing commitment to excellence in public service.

JOINT ANNUAL NMI DISTRICT COURT CONFERENCE AND PACIFIC JUDICIAL COUNCIL MID-YEAR CONFERENCE HELD ON SAIPAN

From September 24–26, 2025, the Joint Annual NMI District Court Conference and Pacific Judicial Council (PJC) Mid-Year Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza Resort, co-hosted by the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands and the Pacific Judicial Council

The conference brought together over one hundred participants, including judges from the Ninth and Sixth Circuits, judicial leaders from across the Pacific region including Guam, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands and barred attorneys from the CNMI Bar Association attending for continuing legal education credits. Sessions addressed judicial education, court administration, and emerging legal issues Featured presentations included artificial intelligence in the legal system by Ninth Circuit Senior Judge M. Margaret. McKeown and statutory and constitutional interpretation by Judges Johnnie B. Rawlinson, Jeffrey S Sutton, and Joseph N Laplante

The Governor’s Office hosted a welcoming dinner, recognizing the participants and the importance of regional judicial collaboration. The event was supported by PJC members, executive members, and staff from the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth Judiciary, and the Guam Judiciary It strengthened judicial practices and collaboration throughout the Pacific region

MOUNT CARMEL SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPLORE THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM DURING EDUCATIONAL TOUR AT GUMA’ HUSTISIA

On Friday, October 3, 2025, twenty-five fifth-grade students from Mount Carmel School, along with their teacher Ms Zandra A Tapay and chaperones, visited Guma’ Hustisia for an educational tour designed to enhance their understanding of the Commonwealth's judicial system

Under the guidance of Director of Courts Sonia A. Camacho, the students explored various divisions of the Judiciary, gaining insights into the roles and responsibilities of court personnel and the processes that uphold justice in the CNMI. A memorable aspect of the visit was a special Kombetsasion held in the Supreme Court courtroom, where students actively participated in a question-and-answer session with Justice John A. Manglona and Justice Perry B. Inos.

The justices discussed the significance of the rule of law, the courts' role in conflict resolution, and shared their personal journeys in the legal field. The students also had the chance to meet Judge Lillian A Tenorio of the Superior Court

“It’s always a privilege to engage with young minds and help them understand the importance of justice in the Commonwealth Experiences like today’s tour help the students recognize civic responsibility and gain a deeper appreciation for the justice system, ” said Director of Courts Sonia A Camacho

Tapay highlighted the experience's significance stating, “The students and the school gain immensely from a visit to Guma’ Hustisia in multiple ways For the students, this hands-on learning experience enriches their understanding of justice, conflict resolution, and community engagement beyond what textbooks provide ”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT

On November 24-25, 2025, the Judiciary held its 2025 Professional Development Summit at Crowne Plaza Resort. The two-day event brought together leadership and staff to strengthen professional skills, foster collaboration, and support employee wellness The Summit underscored the Judiciary’s continued commitment to excellence and ongoing professional growth

Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro and Acting Presiding Judge Kenneth L. Govendo gave welcoming remarks, highlighting the importance of professional development in advancing the Judiciary’s mission Human Resources Officer Michelle V Guerrero followed the welcoming remarks with New Employee Recognition, acknowledging the contributions of recently onboarded staff. An icebreaker session conducted by the Office of the General Counsel and Law Revision Commission further set an uplifting and collaborative tone

Participants engaged in two rounds of breakout sessions, addressing a broad range of topics including workplace resilience, critical thinking, customer service, financial literacy, stress management, compassion fatigue, confidentiality, and practical skills training in Canva and Microsoft Excel A luncheon meeting featured guest speaker Retired U S Army Lieutenant Colonel Edward Camacho, who discussed service, responsibility, and accountability

The afternoon included a Bench Business Meeting, providing leadership an opportunity to discuss key operational matters, as well as plenary sessions on Kosrae PJC Team Case Management and Time Standards and behavior management and the stress cycle These sessions highlighted both operational efficiency and the importance of employee well-being

The Summit concluded with a Health and Wellness Fair with guided painting, traditional mwaar making, and a flu vaccination clinic These activities reinforced the Judiciary’s holistic approach to professional development by supporting both personal wellness and professional effectiveness. "

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT Day 2 Day 2

On the second day, November 25, 2025, the Summit focused on strategic planning, open dialogue, and organizational improvement

The plenary sessions centered on long-term planning and engagement Director of Courts Sonia A Camacho and Supreme Court Law Clerk Katherine Eckrote led a Strategic Plan Year 2 Assessment, providing an update on progress and priorities Judge Lillian A Tenorio then moderated a Conversation with the Bench, offering staff an opportunity for open discussion and reflection on Judiciary operations.

A brainstorming session for improving workplace efficiency and culture encouraged collaborative problem-solving and the sharing of ideas The luncheon program featured the Employee Recognition Awards Ceremony, led by Director of Courts Sonia A. Camacho, recognizing staff for their dedication and contributions to the Judiciary

The afternoon was devoted to Bench Business and division meetings, allowing leadership and staff to address operational matters and align on division-specific goals The day concluded with a networking hour and closing announcements, bringing the two-day Summit to a thoughtful and cohesive close

2025 Employee Recognition Awards

Employee Awards

2025 Employee Recognition Awards DIVISIONAWARDS

OfficeofGeneralCounsel

MATTHEWJ.BROWN

DeputyGeneralCounsel

Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court

CHRISTINS.CABRERA DeputyClerkI

ROGELION.FRANCIA InformationSystems Specialist Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court

FamilyCourtDivision

Deputy Clerk III

Office of Adult Probation Supervision

TIMOTHYC.DELEON GUERRERO ProbationOfficerI WILSONBRIANC. CALANTOG AssistantProbationOfficer

DrugCourtDivision

JOYKIMIKO TENORIO-ROPPUL CaseworkerI

MentalHealthCourt

CommunitySupervision Worker DeputyMarshalI

Commonwealth Recorder’s Office

MOOT COURT

All 32 competitors competed in two preliminary rounds on December 4, 2025 The top four teams advanced to the semi-final round on December 5 The top two teams then competed in the championship round before Perry B Inos, Ramona V Manglona of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, and Lillian A. Tenorio for the title of Champion.

More than thirty attorneys and judges volunteered to serve as justices during the preliminary and semi-final rounds of the competition. Volunteer attorneys also served as team coaches

Every student advocate received a certificate in recognition of their dedication and successful completion of the competition Four individual awards were presented to competitors who earned the highest scores in oral argument and brief writing, along with four team awards:

Champions: Steven Lian and Ricky Tang, Marianas High School

Finalists: Ainsley Ancheta and Montrey Germance, Marianas High School

Semi-Finalists: Ainsley Ancheta and Montrey Germance, Marianas High School; Steven Lian and Ricky Tang, Marianas High School; William Cano and Christopher Dela Cruz, Mount Carmel School; and Aleena Villaluz and Qihan Wang, Saipan International School

Best Appellant Oral Advocate: Ainsley Ancheta, Marianas High School

Best Appellant Oral Advocate, Honorable Mention: Jujie Zhang, Marianas High School

Best Appellee Oral Advocate: Steven Lian, Marianas High School

Best Appellee Oral Advocate, Honorable Mention: Jude Burgos, Saipan Southern High School

Best Appellants Brief: William Cano, Mount Carmel School

Best Appellee’s Brief: Ashlynn Han and Selina Santiago, Saipan International School

The champions will compete at the regional tournament at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in March 2026.

MOOT COURT REGIONALS

Marianas High School seniors Julia Taitano and Jia Ross Nicdao traveled to New Haven, Connecticut to represent the Northern Marianas in the National Association of Moot Court High School Regional Competition held at Yale University on April 5–6 Over the course of two days, 47 teams from various high schools competed in rigorous rounds of oral arguments, presenting their case before a panel of judges The competition challenged students to argue both sides of a complex appellate case, focusing on standing and judicial recusal

Julia and Jia earned the honor of representing the Northern Marianas after emerging as champions in the Supreme Court High School Moot Court Competition held last December. In addition to their team victory, they were awarded Best Brief, and Julia Taitano was recognized as the Best Oral Advocate for Appellant Their dedication and preparation carried over to the Yale competition, where they showcased persuasive public speaking and sharp critical thinking in a simulated courtroom environment Judges praised their performance, commending their confidence and strong knowledge of the record and caselaw “This was an excellent speech that was extremely well structured and well argued, ” noted one judge “Great responses to questions you know what you are talking about, ” another remarked The duo participated in four rounds, earning two victories and facing tough competition in the remaining two

JUDICIARY MOURNS PASSING OF DEPUTY MARSHAL III JESUS S. SANTOS

The Judiciary mourned the passing of Deputy Marshal III Jesus S. Santos, a dedicated member of the Judiciary family who served with distinction for 29 years. Joining the Judiciary on November 13, 1995, Deputy Marshal Santos devoted nearly three decades to ensuring the safety and security of the courts, staff, and public. He was widely respected for his kindness, sense of humor, humility, and strong work ethic, qualities that exemplified his commitment to public service. Chief Marshal Jason T. Tarkong described him as “more than a colleague a friend and an example of unwavering service to the people of the Commonwealth. ”

Before joining the Judiciary, Deputy Marshal Santos served as a Clerk III Assistant Expeditor at the Office of the Attorney General (1989–1995). Within the Marshals Service Division, he advanced through the ranks from Deputy Marshal I (1995–1997) and Deputy Marshal II (1997–2000) to Deputy Marshal III

Deputy Marshal Santos is survived by his wife Marie C Santos, their five children, and eight grandchildren

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