CNMI Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro on Tuesday appointed Guam Superior Court Judge Arthur R. Barcinas to serve as judge pro tempore in the misconduct in office case filed by the Office of the Attorney General against former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres pertaining to first-class travel.
The chief justice said the parties “shall notify the Clerk of the Superior Court in writing no later than 10 days from the date of this Order of any good cause or reason why Judge Barcinas should not serve as judge pro tempore. Unless good cause can be shown otherwise, Judge Barcinas shall have full authority to serve in this matter and shall carry out the duties and power inherent with the appointment.” The former governor’s jury trial will start on June 5, 2023.
A judge of the Superior Court of Guam since 2005, Barcinas currently presides over general jurisdiction cases and the Family Violence Court.
He received his B.S. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1986, and J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1989.
Judge Barcinas was appointed judge pro tempore by the CNMI chief justice after Judge Alberto Tolentino, who is also from Guam, recused himself from the former governor’s case due to health reasons.
Last year, Tolentino was named judge pro tempore after CNMI Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja and the other associate judges of the local trial court recused themselves from the case.
The Office of the Attorney General has charged the governor with 12 counts of misconduct in public office and one count of theft relating to the issuance of airline tickets for business class, first class, or other premium class travel for himself and/or Diann T. Torres, his wife.
The AG’s office also alleged one count of contempt for failure to appear in compliance with a legislative subpoena.
The former governor has denied the charges. His defense attorneys are Viola Alepuyo, Victorino DLG Torres, Matthew Holley and Anthony Aguon.
Chief Solicitor J. Robert Glass Jr. and special prosecutor James Robert Kingman of Texas represent the government.
Judge Arthur Barcinas
