THE local high court issued a general order on Oct. 4, 2021 encouraging its employees and attorneys to celebrate island heritage each Friday by wearing island attire.
“With the recent conclusion of Chamorro and Carolinian Cultural Heritage Month in September and the upcoming Commonwealth Cultural Day on October 11, the court is given occasion to promote the appreciation of our island heritage, while maintaining a sense of professionalism in judiciary facilities,” stated the order that was signed by CNMI Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro, Justice John A. Manglona and Justice Perry B. Inos.
They stated that attorneys and their staff attending proceedings in the courtrooms of the Guma’ Hustisia, Centron Hustisia, Kotten Tinian, or other judiciary facilities, “shall be dressed appropriately so as to maintain the dignity, integrity, decorum, seriousness, and professional atmosphere of the court and the administration of justice,” the general order stated. Clothes and appearance must not be disruptive to the judicial process, it added.
Moreover, in “celebration of our island heritage, attorneys, their staff, and judiciary employees may use island print attire, mwar… and flower leis on Fridays in the courtroom(s) or judiciary facilities,” the order stated.
But persons unable to comply with the order because of medical reasons are excused.
