Law Day declared in the CNMI

The three branches of the government and the CNMI Bar Association jointly signed a proclamation Thursday declaring May 1 as Law Day in the NMI.

Law Day 2016 is commemorated in the CNMI with the 18th High School Mock Trial Competition, the 12th Junior High School Mock Trial, the 32nd Attorney General’s Cup Speech Competition, the Sixth Essay and Poster Contest, and the Judges in the Classroom program.

The American Bar Association has identified the 2016 Law Day theme as “Miranda: More than Words.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of a milestone in legal history, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 1966 decision in Miranda v. Arizona. The ruling concludes that statements made by a suspect in police custody are generally inadmissible if the suspect has not been made aware of his or her Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights.

Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres joined by Senate President Francisco M. Borja (Ind-Tinian) and House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan) signed the proclamation along with Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro. CNMI Bar Association president Lillian A. Tenorio also signed the proclamation during the ceremony at the CNMI Supreme Court.

Associate Justice John A. Manglona led the presentation of awards.

For the essay contest for middle school students, Nehemiah C. Fernandez, an 8th grade at San Antonio Middle School, won the Supreme Court Award; Andrea Roberto, an 8th grade at San Antonio Middle School, received the Chief Justice Award; Maria Lopez, a 7th grade at Dandan Middle School, got the Associate Justice Award; and Codie Escota, a 7th grade at Dandan Middle School, received the Honorable Mention Award.

In the poster contest for elementary school students, Clarize Rodriguez, a 4th grade at Tinian Elementary School, won the Superior Court Award; Maria Karlan A. Claassens, a 6th grade at Grace Christian Academy Rota, grabbed the Presiding Judge Award; Jonathan Torres, a 5th grade at Kagman Elementary School, got the Associate Judge Award; and Jed Sta. Maria, a 6th grade at Grace Christian Academy Rota, received the Honorable Mention Award.

The Golden Gavel Awards were awarded to six persons—Donald Cohen, Bernadita B. Dela Cruz, Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero, Lucia Linda Blanco-Maratita, Joseph L.G. Taijeron Jr., and Robert T. Torres—for over a decade of dedicated service to the CNMI Mock Trial.