Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court
| Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court |
|---|
|
| Court Information |
| Justices: 3 |
| Founded: 1989 |
| Judicial Selection |
| Method: Gubernatorial appointment |
| Term: 8 years |
The Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court is the Commonwealth's court of last resort. The court consists of a chief justice and at least two associate justices.[1] The current chief justice is Alexandro C. Castro.
In the Northern Mariana Islands, state supreme court justices are selected through direct gubernatorial appointment. Justices are appointed directly by the governor without the use of a nominating commission. There are five U.S. states that use this selection method, alongside the Northern Mariana Islands. To read more about the gubernatorial appointment of judges, click here.
Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court of the Northern Mariana Islands hears appeals from the Superior Court.
The following text from Article IV, Section 3 of the Commonwealth Constitution covers the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court:
| “ | Supreme Court Jurisdiction
The Commonwealth supreme court shall hear appeals from final judgments and orders of the Commonwealth superior court. The supreme court shall have all inherent powers, including the power to issue all writs necessary to the complete exercise of its duties and jurisdiction under this constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth.[2] |
” |
| —Commonwealth Constitution, Article IV, Section 3 | ||
Justices
The table below lists the current justices of the Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court, their political party, and when they assumed office.
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court | Alexandro C. Castro | Nonpartisan | October 11, 2012 |
| Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court | Perry B. Inos | Nonpartisan | March 8, 2013 |
| Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court | John A. Manglona | Nonpartisan | 2000 |
Salary
In 2025, the justices of the court received a salary of $126,000, according to the National Center for State Courts.[3]
Judicial selection
The three justices on the Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Northern Mariana Islands Senate for eight-year terms. The appointed justice must be confirmed by voters via a yes-no retention election. According to the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution, the term for a supreme court justice is eight years. Justices must stand for retention in the general election immediately preceding the end of their term.[4]
Qualifications
Article IV, Section 4 of the Commonwealth Constitution gives the qualifications for Supreme Court justices.
| “ | Supreme Court Qualifications
A justice or judge shall be at least thirty-five (35) years of age, a citizen or national of the United States, have resided in the Commonwealth for at least five (5) years before appointment, never have been convicted of a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, and been a member of the Commonwealth bar for five (5) years.[2] |
” |
| —Commonwealth Constitution, Article IV, Section 4 | ||
Chief justice
The court uses the same process described above for selecting its chief justice. The governor, with Senate approval, appoints a chief justice for a full eight-year term.
Elections
2022
2020
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands," accessed September 24, 2020(Article IV, Section 3)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "2025 Salaries and Rankings," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands," accessed September 24, 2020(Article IV, Section 5)
