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NMI Supreme Court holds hearing at MCS
Left to right,) CNMI Supreme Court Associate Justice John Manglona, Chief Justice Alexandro Castro, and Associate Justice Perry Inos listen to arguments during an appellate hearing held at Mount Carmel School. (MCS)
The CNMI Supreme Court held an appellate court hearing at Mount Carmel School last week, with both defense lawyer and prosecutor arguing their case before the justices on the merits of the law.
It was presided over by Chief Justice Alexander Castro and associate justices John A. Manglona and Perry B. Inos.
Nancy A. Dominski, of the CNMI Office of the Public Defender, and Robert Charles Lee, of the Office of the Attorney General, did the presentation before the justices.
The hearing was attended by Mount Carmel School students from the AP United States Government, AP United States History, and AP English courses as well as by members of the school’s mock trial team.
Kyle Bautista, a veteran member of the MCS mock trial team, noted that the hearing was substantially different from his experience in mock trial. “The attorneys are not asking questions; instead they argued to the judge. I…learned a lot from this experience because both attorneys presented well-thought-out arguments based on different perspectives of the law.”
Angelo Manese said: “As a mock trial attorney myself, I find it comforting to know that even experienced lawyers still find challenges when formulating and presenting well-structured arguments.”
The hearing was part of the NMI Judiciary’s “Justices and Judges in the Classroom” interactive outreach designed to educate the youth on the judicial system and its functions. The program serves to help encourage students understand the role of the court system and the concepts of justice and responsibility.
For more information on the court’s outreach program or seek further information, contact Divana Delacruz at divana.delacruz@justice.gov.mp. (Quincy Chinen, Justin Ocampo, and Reica Ramirez)
A lawyer makes a point during a CNMI Supreme Court appellate hearing held at Mount Carmel School. (MCS)
A lawyer presents an argument during CNMI Supreme Court appellate hearing at Mount Carmel School. (MCS)
The CNMI Supreme Court recently held an appellate hearing at Mount Carmel School and gathered for a group photo with students, law clerks, and appellant and appellee attorneys. (MCS)
