THE CNMI Judiciary has submitted a budget request for fiscal year 2026 in the amount of $13,650,620.
In their joint letter on March 5, 2025, CNMI Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro and Superior Court Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja told Senate President Dennis James C. Mendiola and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez that their budget submission represents what the Judiciary needs to function effectively, even in the face of the CNMI’s financial challenges.
It may seem substantial given the current financial constraints, but they said “it is essential to maintaining judicial operations and ensuring access to justice.”
“Although this budget focuses on immediate necessities, it does not account for the full resources required to achieve our long-term goals. The Judiciary remains committed to securing funding for critical initiatives such as the Tinian courthouse project and the Guma’ Hustisia data center and will continue to explore all available avenues to advance these efforts,” Castro and Naraja said.
They provided the Legislature a graph indicating the trend of the CNMI government’s appropriation for the Judiciary from FY 2018 to FY 2025. From $6 million in FY 2024, its appropriation went up to $6.1 million in the revised FY 2025 budget.
But the data also showed the difference between the Judiciary’s request and actual appropriations. In FY 2024 for example, the judicial branch requested $9.9 million, and in FY 2025, its budget proposal was $14.8 million.
Castro and Naraja noted that in FY 2024 and early part of FY 2025, the Judiciary relied on American Rescue Plan Act funds to maintain service accessibility due to a lack of local funds for operational expenses. The Judiciary created a detailed spending plan to ensure the funds, which were required to be obligated by Dec. 1, 2024, would last through 2026. The Judiciary’s remaining ARPA grant award of $3.9 million was canceled, however, on Oct. 3, 2024, leaving the Judiciary with limited financial options moving forward, the leadership of the judicial branch of government said.
“While we recognize the Commonwealth’s fiscal challenges, adequate appropriations for operational expenses are essential for the Judiciary to fulfill its constitutional duties,” the chief justice and presiding judge said.
They said a key priority in the Judiciary’s budget submission for FY 2026 is funding for the fire alarm and sprinkler system upgrade at the Guma’ Hustisia, which is a block away from the Susupe Fire Station.
They said the Judiciary has been operating under a provisional permit for over five years, and replacing this system is critical. Despite completing the procurement process and exploring multiple funding sources, they said no viable alternatives have been found.
“Ensuring the safety of our staff and court patrons requires that funding for this project be included in this year’s budget,” the chief justice and the presiding judge said.
They said their budget request also prioritizes retention of the Judiciary’s “dedicated staff whose work ensures uninterrupted judicial services.”
According to Public Law 23-26, the original budget act for FY 2025, about $5 million was appropriated for the Judiciary’s 127 personnel; $53,438 for operations; and $300,000 for utilities.
