Camacho, Bogdan submit letters of intent to seek retention

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho shakes the hand of Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Kayla Igitol, after submitting his letter of intent to seek retention on the bench this Nov. 8 election. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

Superior Court associate judges Joseph James Norita Camacho and Wesley M. Bogdan submitted Friday their letters of intent to seek retention on the bench this Nov. 8 general election.

Camacho handed in his letter to Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Kayla Igitol inside the CEC office in Susupe shortly before noon Friday. Igitol said yesterday that Bogdan handed his letter of intent to a CEC staff Friday afternoon.

Camacho said he has served on the bench for 11 years and that he requests to be included in the 2022 ballot for the retention election as an associate judge.

“It is an honor and a privilege to serve as a judge. I humbly submit for the people of the CNMI to decide if I am worthy to continue to serve a third term as a CNMI Superior Court associate judge,” he said in the letter.

Camacho is now serving his second term, which will expire in November 2023. This November will be his second retention election.

At the November 2016 election, Camacho received an overwhelming number of votes for his retention on the bench. He first ascended to the Superior Court in November 2011.

A judge’s term is six years; it’s an eight-year term for a justice.
Under a constitutional amendment, the question of whether justices or judges will be retained shall be put to a vote at a general election immediately before the end of that justice’s or judge’s initial term of office.

At present, Camacho handles the whole Probate Court docket, including those for Tinian and Rota. He also handles share of bail and preliminary hearings, and share of Saipan criminal and civil cases.

Camacho has issued 200 published opinions, which add to the CNMI body of law and give guidance on the law. The opinions can be found on the website of the Law Revision Commission and the CNMI Judiciary.

Camacho sat on numerous cases on appeals as justice pro tem on the CNMI Supreme Court or the Guam Supreme Court.

For 20 years, he has been part of the High School and Jr. High School Mock Trial programs involving students from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota both from private the public schools.

Bogdan officially assumed the post of associate judge in November 2017. He handles small claims.

CNMI Supreme Court John A. Manglona has yet to inform the CEC of his intent to seek retention for the third time.