THE House of Representatives yesterday unanimously rejected the Supreme Court’s proposed changes in the Rules of Admission, which would have required attorney applicants to take additional testing before they are allowed to practice in the CNMI.
Attorney-applicants are lawyers who are licensed to practice law in U.S. jurisdictions and have been in active service for at least five years out of the 12 years.
Had the House not rejected the proposed changes, the amendment would have been effective today and would be implemented in the July bar examination.
Supreme Court Justice Miguel S. Demapan submitted to the Legislature the proposed changes in the rules last April 8. Under Article 4, Section 8 of the CNMI Constitution, the amendment will become effective 60 days from its submission to the Legislature, unless disapproved by a majority of either the House or the Senate.
“We rejected the proposed amendment because we do not want it to hinder the operations of the Attorney General’s Office. This would just take away the attorney general’s discretion to hire lawyers to work with the government without taking the bar exam. The present restriction is already fair enough for government lawyers,” said Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan.
Attorney General Robert T. Torres recently requested the Legislature to oppose the Supreme Court’s proposed amendment.
He said an attorney licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction with five years or more legal experience and in good standing during that period and has acquired competency in local laws and procedures is already “sufficiently qualified” to practice law in the CNMI as a government attorney.
He said the current rules of admission allow for such practice for a period of up to four years in government service.
