THE Northern Marianas Bar Association on Monday expressed support for the proposed amendments to the rules of attorney discipline and procedure that the CNMI Supreme Court submitted to the Legislature.
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 9 of the CNMI Constitution, Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro submitted to Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez a copy of the proposed amendments to the rules for approval.
The proposed amendments include a new procedure for attorneys who fail to pay their annual bar membership fee of $250, court fines and fees. They will also subject an attorney to discipline for, among other violations, “failing to comply with the administrative requirements for continued licensure in the CNMI such as, but not limited to, payment of bar dues or court fees, and fulfillment of continuing legal education.”
In his letter to Deleon Guerrero and Villagomez, the chief justice noted that in the proposed amendments, attorneys can be placed on an administrative suspension, “which is a lesser penalty to the current suspension leading to disbarment.”
Also, the proposed amendments will reduce to three bar members from five the requirement to form a quorum, and clarify that bar committee members are elected by a majority of election participants instead of all attorneys.
The proposed amendments will also allow members to attend meetings via videoconference.
In a separate letter to the Legislature’s presiding officers on Monday, NMI Bar Association President Charity R. Hodson said their group, including their disciplinary committee, supports the adoption of the proposed rules, which will be included in the agenda of the Senate’s next regular session on Dec. 18, 2024.
