Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The Supreme Court was created by commonwealth law on May 1, 1989. [1] This was allowed under the terms of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, § 402(c), Act of Mar. 24, 1976, Pub. L. 94-241, 90 Stat. 263, codified as amended at 48 U.S.C. § 1801 note.
The District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands [2] (in case citations, D. N. Mar. I.) is a federal territorial court whose jurisdiction comprises the United States-affiliated Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It was established by Act of Congress in 1977, pursuant to an international agreement between the United States ...
Case law generated by the territorial courts, as a common law jurisdiction; As a territory of the United States, United States federal law applies to the CNMI, though many laws that apply to the 50 states do not cover the Commonwealth. Unlike states, the U.S. federal government has direct control over territories, limited only by the Covenant.
Replicating the separation of powers elsewhere in the United States, the executive branch is headed by the governor of the Northern Mariana Islands; legislative power is vested in the bicameral Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature and the judicial power is vested in the CNMI Supreme Court and the trial courts inferior to it.
The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Local government is carried out through four regional mayors. The Northern Mariana Islands and the United States of America reached a Covenant Agreement which became fully effective on November 4, 1986.
The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is the territorial legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.The legislative branch of the territory is bicameral, consisting of a 20-member lower House of Representatives, and an upper house Senate with nine senators.
On January 26, 2011, President Barack Obama nominated Manglona to the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on her nomination on March 16, 2011, and reported her nomination favorably on April 7, 2011. [5] On July 26, 2011, the Senate confirmed her nomination by voice vote.
Although the Territory of Guam and the CNMI are separate political entities and federal judicial districts, since 1978 the law has authorized the appointment of one United States attorney to serve both. [3] This situation is unique within the entire United States. The U.S. attorney maintains offices in Hagåtña, Guam and in Gualo Rai, Saipan.