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Bar evaluation results on 2 judges, justice out next week
This Monday is the deadline for members of the CNMI Bar Association to submit their respective evaluations of the performances of CNMI Supreme Court Associate Justice John A. Manglona, Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja, and Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo, who are all seeking retention on the bench this Nov. 4 election.
Bar Association administrative director Suzanne Steffy said yesterday she will be sending emails today, Friday, to remind the 187 active Bar members that Monday, Oct. 20, is the last day of submission of the evaluation forms.
Steffy began sending the forms to active Bar members last Sept. 24. Of the 187 active members, 121 are in the CNMI. Including inactive members, the Association has 310 members.
Steffy said she, former Bar president Sean Frink, and Bar Association secretary Jeanne H. Rayphand will tabulate the evaluation forms on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
She said they assured members that the counting will be kept “very confidential.”
The Bar will announce the results at their general membership meeting at Hyatt Regency Saipan the following day, Thursday, Oct. 23.
During the 2007 Bar evaluation, Justice Manglona and his wife, then-Superior Court associate judge and now U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona were the first to obtain an impressive “good” rating among the magistrates who were evaluated by the Bar Association.
“Good” means the magistrates often exceed minimum standards of performance.
Both Naraja and Govendo got the upper end of “acceptable” rating during that same evaluation.
In the November 2007 election, voters overwhelmingly voted for the retention of the Manglonas, Naraja, and Govendo. With their retention, Justice Manglona’s term that expired in 2008 was extended eight more years, while Naraja and Govendo, whose terms as judges expired in 2009, got an additional six years.
Justice Manglona, Naraja, and Govendo are seeking a third term as associate justice, presiding judge, and associate judge, respectively.
