Sotomayor discovers the delights of the CNMI

A one-day hop to the CNMI was enough to charm U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who found the CNMI “enchanting and attractive.” She vowed to return and promised to urge people from the U.S. mainland to also visit the Commonwealth.

Sotomayor, the first Hispanic justice, arrived on Saipan from Guam Saturday night, making her the first sitting U.S. Supreme Court justice to step foot in the Commonwealth. She was set to return to Guam for her flight back to the U.S. mainland last night, Sunday.

In a press briefing yesterday at the courthouse of the U.S. District Court for the NMI, Sotomayor had nothing but praise for both Saipan and Tinian, which she also visited.

“There’s still peace here. It is wonderful to see islands unlike the ones I am accustomed to, even my own island, Puerto Rico, that are very, very developed and don’t maintain completely their island identity, but that’s not true here,” she said.

The justice said she was able to watch and experience the CNMI’s native dancing and saw people still living the island life.

“It is really very, very attractive and inviting. I sound like a tourist ad for you, but I’ve been converted. And I think people should come and visit these islands because they are quite enchanting,” she said.

Sotomayor said she has been welcomed so warmly and greeted with such hospitality that “I couldn’t help but fall in love with each of the islands. And I already did promise I’m coming back, not in a year or two but down the line. I shall return and visit more of your islands.”

She said the CNMI is a part of the United States that she didn’t know enough about. “And now that I have had a taste, I am anxious and looking forward to learning more.”

When asked if there are challenges unique to insular areas that she sees in terms of upholding the rule of law and maintaining the integrity of the judicial system, Sotomayor paused for a moment, then stated that “clearly there is a challenge always when there are mixing of cultural experiences,” whether it is for the insular territories or the different parts of the United States.

She cited Alaska and Hawaii, which have struggled with cultural identity issues. There are laws involving the indigenous population in both Hawaii and Alaska that are of constant discussion in those jurisdictions, she added.

Sotomayor said she believes that whenever there is a mix of experiences, there’s going to be unique problems and that accepting the rules of another culture is not natural.

“We all like what we are familiar with,” she said.

Changing the institutions that families have grown up with, what generations have experienced and superimposing on them a different experience is going to create challenges.

“So obviously language is a challenge. Cultural background is a challenge. Experience is your challenge. How do you integrate that into a new rule of law that itself may be different to your culture,” she said.

Sotomayor, however, believes that these challenges are surmountable and something that need to be worked through—make constant adjustments and work together “to ensure that one system is a part of the other in a way that is healthy.”

The news briefing lasted only about 15 minutes.

Also present at the conference were U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge Susan P. Graber, U.S. District Court for Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, and Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja.

After the briefing, Sotomayor conducted a conversatorio at the district court courtroom with members of the NMI Bar, courts’ staff, and selected students and members of 2011 Mock Trial competition. Selected students from Tinian and Rota also joined the program through video conference.

Sotomayor earlier joined Bar members at the American Memorial Park for lunch.

She arrived at the Saipan airport Saturday night, accompanied by Tydingco-Gatewood and Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs Tony Babauta.

Sotomayor and her entourage were greeted by Judge Manglona, CNMI Supreme Court associate justice Alexandro C. Castro, and NMI Bar Association president Sean Frink and other court staff.

Sotomayor was in Guam for the 2012 Annual District Conferences sponsored by the Guam Bar Association and the NMI Bar Association.

Judge Tydingco-Gatewood said that Guam and the CNMI are so blessed and honored that a U.S. Supreme Court justice came all the way from Washington D.C. to spend her time with the people.

“When you meet her you’re going to love her. You just can’t help but love her,” Tydingco-Gatewood said.

Another highlight of Sotomayor’s visit in Guam was when she had conversatorio with students at the University of Guam.

“It was very successful. The justice was very inspiring to not only attorneys, judges and justices, but all the students of Guam,” Tydingco-Gatewood said.

Frink said they are just happy to show Sotomayor the islands and the people. “This is a little beautiful slice of America.”