Supreme Court of Guam

Supreme Court of Guam
The Guam Judicial Center; the Supreme Court of Guam is on the third floor of the building
Established	1996 (17 years ago)
Country	Guam , United States
Location	Hagatna, Guam
Authorized by	Organic Act of Guam
Decisions are appealed to	Supreme Court of the United States
Number of positions	3
Website	Supreme Court of Guam
Chief Justice of Guam
Currently	F. Philip Carbullido
Since	January 18, 2011

The Supreme Court of Guam is the highest judicial body of the United States territory of Guam. The Court hears all appeals from the Superior Court of Guam and is subject to original jurisdiction only in cases where a certified question is submitted to it by a U.S. Federal Court, the Governor of Guam, or the Guam Legislature. The Supreme Court of Guam is the ultimate judicial authority on local matters, and an appeal of its decisions can only be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States^{[citation needed]}. The Court sits in the Monessa G. Lujan Memorial Courtroom, which is on the third floor of the Guam Judicial Center in Hagatna, Guam

Structure

The Court is composed of three justices who are appointed by the Governor of Guam and confirmed by the Guam Legislature. Justices serve for terms of good behavior, subject to a retention election every ten years after his/her appointment. The three justices issue judgment on all cases brought before them. They all sit on the Judicial Council of Guam, which is ultimately in charge of the administration of the Guam Judiciary.

Current Justices

The current justices of the Supreme Court of Guam are:

• The Honorable F. Philip Carbullido – Chief Justice (also served as Chief Justice from January 2003 to January 2008)
• The Honorable Robert J. Torres, Jr. – Associate Justice (served as Chief Justice from January 2008 to January 2011)
• The Honorable Katherine A. Maraman – Associate Justice

The justice's full biographies can be found at the Supreme Court's website

List of Chief Justices

Name	Term
Peter C. Siguenza, Jr.	1996–1999 2001–2003
Benjamin J.F. Cruz	1999–2001
Robert J. Torres, Jr.	2008–2011
F. Philip Carbullido	2003–2008 2011–Present

Retired Justices

Name	Sworn in	Appointed by	Retired	Judicial Positions	Currently
Hon. Peter Charles Siguenza, Jr.	April 21, 1996	Carl T.C. Gutierrez	August 31, 2001	Chief Justice of Guam (1996–1999; 2001–2003); Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam (1999–2001); Judge of the Superior Court of Guam (1984–1996)	Retired
Hon. Janet Healey Weeks	April 21, 1996	Carl T.C. Gutierrez	April 30, 1999	Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam (1996–1999); Judge of the Superior Court of Guam (1975–1996)	Retired
†Hon. Monessa G. Lujan	April 21, 1996	Carl T.C. Gutierrez	†March 15, 1997	Associate Justice (1996–1997)	†In Memorium
Hon. Benjamin J.F. Cruz	October 13, 1997	Carl T.C. Gutierrez	August 31, 2001	Chief Justice of Guam (1999–2001); Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam (1997–1999); Judge of the Superior Court of Guam (1984–1997)	Vice Speaker, I Mina' Trentai Dos Na Lihislaturan Guahan
Hon. Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood	February 8, 2002	Felix P. Camacho	October 29, 2006	Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam (2002–2006); Judge of the Superior Court of Guam (1994–2001)	Chief Judge, United States District Court of Guam

See also

• District Court of Guam
• Politics of Guam

External links

• Unified Courts of Guam