Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court justice will expire on October 10, 2028. The one seat is up for retention election on November 3, 2026. A general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for retention election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.
Voting information
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court
- See also: Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court
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 Supreme Court hears appeals from the Superior Court.
Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The term of office is eight years. Justices must stand for retention in the general election immediately preceding the end of their term.[2]
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Perry B. Inos | Appointed by Gov. Benigno R. Fitial (R) in 2013 | |
| ■ John A. Manglona | Appointed by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio (R) in 2000 |
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.[3]
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.[4] |
” |
| —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.
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)
- ↑ Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands," accessed September 24, 2020(Article IV, Section 5)
- ↑ Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands," accessed September 24, 2020(Article IV, Section 5)
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands
State courts:
Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court • Northern Mariana Islands Superior Court
State resources:
Courts in Northern Mariana Islands • Northern Mariana Islands judicial elections • Judicial selection in Northern Mariana Islands
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