The conference focuses on trial and appellate practice including the prosecution and defense of public figures, scientific evidence, search and seizure, and other topics. Over 80 justices, judges, and attorneys from across the Pacific will participate in the three-day conference.
The American College of Trial Lawyers or ACTL is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Established in 1950, it is recognized as the leading trial lawyers organization in both countries. The association is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice, and the ethics of the legal profession. Primary objectives of the association include enhancing the independence of the judiciary, developing jury trials, maintaining respect for the rule of law, heightening access to justice, and providing fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings.
The 11 ACTL judges and attorneys who will be conducting the training have traveled to the CNMI at their own expense. A similar training was held in Palau in 2015 and Guam in 2018.
“We welcome and thank the ACTL presenters and PJC delegates. The training will undoubtedly be informative and beneficial for justices, judges, and attorneys,” said Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro.
The PJC assists with educational development programs of the judiciaries in American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of Palau. It is funded through the Technical Assistance Program of the Office of the Insular Affairs in the Department of Interior and administered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
For additional information, contact Gretchen A. Smith, CNMI Supreme Court clerk of court, at 236-9718 or e-mail [email protected].