High Court of American Samoa

High Court of American Samoa

The High Court of American Samoa courthouse
Established 1921 (95 years ago)
Country United States United States
Location Fagatogo, American Samoa
Composition method appointed by the United States Secretary of the Interior
Authorized by Constitution of American Samoa
Decisions are appealed to Supreme Court of the United States
Number of positions 2
Chief Justice
Currently Michael Kruse
Since 1988

The High Court of American Samoa is a Samoan court and the highest court below the United States Supreme Court in American Samoa. The Court is located in the capital of Fagatogo. It consists of one chief justice and one associate justice, appointed by the United States Secretary of the Interior, holding office during "good behavior" and removable for cause.[1]

The High Court of American Samoa also has several Samoan associate judges who sit with the two justices. Normally, two associate judges will sit with the chief justice and associate justice on every case.

The Secretary of the Interior retains ultimate authority over the courts.[2]

Organization

The High Court consists of four divisions:[1]

The trial division, which consists of the Chief Justice, the Associate Justice, and associate judges, is a court of general jurisdiction, empowered to hear, among other things, felony cases and civil cases in which the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000.

Justices

The justices of the court:[3]

Name Term as Associate Justice Term as Chief Justice Appointed by
Harry P. Wood — 1921–1937 Albert Bacon Fall (under Harding)
Arthur A. Morrow — 1937–1966 Harold LeClair Ickes (under F. Roosevelt)
V.G. Roel 1963–1966 — Stewart Lee Udall (under Kennedy)
Joseph W. Goss 1966–1970 — Stewart Lee Udall (under Johnson)
H. Edward Hydon — 1966–1968 Stewart Lee Udall (under Johnson)
Donald H. Crothers — 1968–1972 Walter Hickel (under Nixon)
Leslie N. Jochimsen 1971–1975 1975–1976 Rogers Clark Ballard Morton (under Nixon)
William J. McKnight III — 1972–1975 Rogers Clark Ballard Morton (under Nixon)
K. William O'Connor 1976–1977 1977–1978 Thomas S. Kleppe (under Ford)
Richard I. Miyamoto 1976–1978 1978–1981 Thomas S. Kleppe (under Ford) (Associate Justice)
Cecil D. Andrus (under Carter) (Chief Justice)
Thomas Murphy 1980–1987 — Cecil D. Andrus (under Carter)
Robert Gardner — 1981–1986 James G. Watt (under Reagan)
Grover Joseph Rees III 1988–1991 1986–1988 William Patrick Clark (under Reagan) (Chief Justice)
Donald Paul Hodel (under Reagan) (Associate Justice)
F. Michael Kruse 1987–1988 1988–present Donald Paul Hodel (under Reagan)
Lyle L. Richmond 1991–present — Manuel Lujan, Jr. (under G.H.W. Bush)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Tagupa 1983, p. 23.
  2. ↑ Leibowitz, Arnold H (1989). Defining Status: A Comprehensive Analysis of United States Territorial Relations. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-7923-0069-4. His legal position would not only permit him to investigate and overturn decisions of the judiciary in American Samoa, but the decisions of the Executive and Legislative branches as well. … The very fact that his office exists as an ombudsman, to put it kindly, or as a benevolent dictator — to put it less generously — depreciates all Samoan government institutions and makes the Samoan Constitution adopted in 1960 a giant deceit.
  3. ↑ http://www.asbar.org/Digest/judicy_dig.htm

External links


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