(CNMI Judiciary) — The local Supreme Court honors the lasting contributions of Associate Justice Perry B. Inos as he resigns from the bench and starts the next stage of his professional life.
Justice Inos served the CNMI Judiciary for over 17 years. He joined the Judiciary as an associate judge of the Superior Court in September 2008. In March 2013, he became an associate justice of the CNMI Supreme Court.
Throughout his tenure, Justice Inos made substantial contributions to both the development of the law and the administration of the courts. In addition to serving on panels addressing significant and complex legal issues, he was a voting member of the Judicial Council and chaired several Supreme Court Rules Committees, as well as the Judiciary’s Professional Development Committee. In these roles, he helped shape judicial policy, strengthen institutional practices, and elevate professional standards within the Judiciary. He also served as a member of the Pacific Judicial Council’s Education Committee, fostering regional collaboration and advancing judicial education across the Pacific.
Justice Inos spearheaded the drafting and development of key Judiciary rules and policies. Most notably, Justice Inos provided leadership on the Interpreter and Translator Code of Conduct Committee, ensuring meaningful court access for limited English proficient individuals, leading to the adoption of the Judiciary’s Language Access Policy and Plan. In addition, he was instrumental in the drafting of the Judiciary’s Procurement Rules, which promoted accountability and efficiency in government expenditures. Justice Inos chaired other policy and rules committees, such as Indigent Representation, Rules Governing Procedure for Traffic and Other Infractions, Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rules of Evidence, and Vehicle Policy. Justice Inos also played a critical role in advocating for the passage of the Commonwealth Recorder’s Act of 2020 and in drafting the Rules of Electronic Recordation, which together enabled the CNMI’s transition from manual, in-person recordation to a modern system of electronic recordation.
“Justice Inos brought to the bench a deep respect for our people and a clear understanding that justice must be accessible to all,” Justice John A. Manglona said. “His leadership in improving language access and assisting in modernizing court operations has left a lasting mark on the Judiciary.”
Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro also commented on Justice Inos’ service noting, “The Supreme Court celebrates and thanks Justice Inos for his intellectual curiosity and depth in case management, his strong collaboration and leadership skills in areas of court administration, and his commitment to the rule of law. We wish him all the best in his next endeavor.”
