For the past eight months, Stafford has served as Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan’s law clerk, and now fills a position previously occupied by Jonathan Grayson.
Stafford first came to the Supreme Court as an intern during law school and returned after graduation as a full-time employee.
He received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, and attended law school at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, Georgia, where he finished in the top 5 percent in his class.
He has published several articles in the John Marshall Law Journal, and has also contributed to the NYU Environmental Law Journal.
In the CNMI community, Stafford is the regional mock trial coordinator and coaches a youth basketball team in the local Rotary Club league.
In his new role as clerk of the Supreme Court, Stafford will oversee all case document processing and filing, assign cases to various justices and law clerks, facilitate settlement conferences, and perform other administrative functions.
As general counsel, he will draft and review personnel contracts and serve as an ex-officio member of the CNMI Judicial Council.
Future matters involving the clerk of court may be directed toward him at [email protected], or by phone at 236-9718.
According to Demapan, “Daniel is another of a group of outstanding young individuals who have come through the Supreme Court as a law clerk and ascended to a most important position in the court’s administrative structure. We are very happy to have him with us.”
