ROSS Garber, an attorney from Washington, D.C., will make a remote video appearance to represent Gov. Ralph DLG Torres in his lawsuit against the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations after the CNMI Supreme Court granted the lawyer’s request for pro hac vice admission.
Garber filed a notice of appearance on March 28, 2022.
Pro hac vice, which is Latin for “this time only,” refers to the application of an out-of-state lawyer to appear in court for a particular trial, even though s/he is not licensed to practice in the state where the trial is being held.
CNMI Chief Justice Alexandro Castro, in a previous order, stated that Garber has satisfied the requirements for pro hac vice admission.
Garber’s application was granted after he paid a $5,000 fee.
He is considered a legal expert in the field of political investigations and impeachment. He also provides on-air commentary for CNN and teaches political investigations and impeachment at Tulane Law School.
On Dec. 16, 2021, Chief Justice Castro appointed former Judge Timothy H. Bellas as judge pro tempore in the governor’s lawsuit after Superior Court Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja, Associate Judges Wesley Bogdan, Kenneth Govendo, Teresa Kim-Tenorio and Joseph N. Camacho recused themselves from the case.
Judge Bellas has scheduled a hearing for March 31 at 9 a.m. regarding the JGO committee’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit
The Republican governor was found by the Democrat-led House JGO committee in contempt of a legislative subpoena for refusing to appear before the panel which was investigating his public expenditures.
Through his legal counsel Gil Birnbrich and the Banes Horey Berman & Miller law firm, Torres requested the court to find the subpoena issued by the legislative committee invalid and unlawful.
JGO committee’s legal counsels Joseph L.G. Taijeron and Brendan Layde, for their part, have asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, saying that the subpoena served on the governor has a valid legislative purpose.
Ross Garber
