The judiciary has yet to issue a statement on Stafford’s resignation.
Stafford represented the judiciary during the hearings of the proposed budget for 2011 fiscal year for the judiciary.
The Fitial administration wants to cut the judiciary’s budget by 46.5 percent — from $5,562,398 to $2,972,847.
Stafford became the Supreme Court clerk and the judiciary’s general counsel in October last year.
He also served as Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan’s law clerk.
Stafford first worked for the Supreme Court as an intern during law school and returned to the island after graduation to become a full-time employee of the judiciary.
The clerk of the Supreme Court is responsible for all case intake, assignment of cases to various justices and law clerks, facilitating settlement conferences, and other administrative matters.
The judiciary’s general counsel drafts and reviews personnel contracts and serves as an ex-officio member of the CNMI judicial council.
