HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The island’s legal community is mourning the death of attorney James Spivey.
At the start of the week, several hearings in the Superior Court of Guam had to be rescheduled as judges told defendants that their attorney, James “Jamie” Spivey, had died last week.
The Guam Bar Association further announced in an email to members that Spivey died Oct. 18.
At the time of his death, the Guam Bar stated Spivey served on all the Private Attorney Panels, which provide services to indigent defendants in the event the Public Defender Service Corp. and Alternate Public Defender withdraw from cases, often due to conflicts of interest.
For the panel for felony cases, in particular, Spivey was one of three attorneys on the list.
Before returning to Guam last year and opening up a private practice, Spivey worked as the Alternate Public Defender from 2014 to 2019 before moving to the Philippines to join his family.
Spivey was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Western Maryland College in 1982 and earned his law degree from the University of Miami in 1989.
After receiving his education, Spivey worked in Florida as a private attorney and also with the Florida Public Defender’s Office.
Throughout the 1980s, Spivey served in the United States Marine Corps at the rank of first lieutenant, according to the Guam Bar.
“Jamie will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to justice, the legal profession and providing legal representation to those in need. He will also be remembered for his cordiality and professionalism,” the Guam Bar stated, while extending condolences to Spivey’s family, friends and clients.
“We mourn his passing alongside them.”
Attorney James Spivey is seen in February 2023 during a hearing at the Superior Court of Guam. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, the Guam Bar Association announced Spivey died Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.
