NMI Judiciary to move to temporary courtrooms at Horiguchi building

The Superior Court is set to open some temporary courtrooms at the Horiguchi building, adding to the CNMI Judiciary’s temporary courtrooms at the Marianas Business Plaza and the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center.

The NMI Judiciary has reportedly contracted the first, second, and third floor of the Horiguchi building to house its temporary courtrooms.

According to Nita San Nicolas, Horiguchi Building accountant, as far as they’re aware, the Superior Court will be occupying the building for the next three months, starting next week until Dec. 31, 2020. San Nicolas said the Superior Court was actually set to move in earlier this month but was delayed because they had to get things in order first like rescheduling hearings.

The building, formerly occupied by the U.S. District Court for the NMI for a number of years before transferring to their newly-built building in Gualo Rai.

Since the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yutu back in 2018, the Superior Court has been occupying the second floor of the Marianas Business Plaza and the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center, turning these facilities into makeshift courtrooms.

Aside from the Superior Court, the U.S Coast Guard also occupies the Horiguchi building along with other private tenants.

Due to the construction of the COVID-19 Screening and Security Zone at the front of the Guma Hustisia, the Cashier’s and Recorder’s Office have also relocated to the second floor of the Marianas Business Plaza starting this week.

All requests for transcripts (audio or written), document processing, or record certification in the Clerk of the Superior Court, Family Court Division, Office of Adult Probation,

Drug Court, and the Commonwealth Recorder’s Office will be accepted by email to Superior.Court@NMIJudiciary.com; and if electronic submission of documents is impossible, documents may be submitted by U.S. registered mail at: CNMI Superior Court, P.O. Box 500307 Saipan, MP 96950.

“Austerity days” is still on Monday for the government, including its branches, departments, autonomous agencies, public corporations, political subdivisions, and instrumentality that elect to implement austerity days to operate within their budget allocations.

For the entire fiscal year 2021, if a legal holiday in the CNMI falls on a Monday, the austerity will be observed on the Tuesday of that week.