Recognizing the Supreme Court of Guam as the Highest Court of Guam
Resolution 12 Recognizing the Supreme Court of Guam as the Highest Court of Guam
WHEREAS, the Conference of Chief Justices at its 1998 Midyear Meeting and its 2001 Midyear Meeting supported amending the Organic Act of Guam for the purposes of clarifying the local structure of Guam; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 521 was introduced in the 107th Congress by Congressman Robert A. Underwood to clarify existing Federal law and recognize the Supreme Court of Guam as the highest court of the Territory; and
WHEREAS, the Conference supports the efforts of Guam and Congress to ensure by legislation the independence of the Guam judiciary and to maintain its judicial branch as a separate and co-equal branch of government; and
WHEREAS, securing these fundamental principles is essential to our form of government; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 521 was not acted upon by the 107th Congress; and
WHEREAS, Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo intends to continue efforts to secure passage of similar legislation to H.R. 521 in the First Session of the 108th Congress; and
WHEREAS, the Conference wishes to express its continuing support of H.R. 521 and successive legislation to be reintroduced in the First Session of the 108th Congress;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference supports renewed Congressional efforts to clarify Federal law recognizing the Supreme Court of Guam as the highest court of Guam.
Adopted as proposed by the State-Federal Relations Committee of the Conference of Chief Justices at its 26th Midyear Meeting on January 27, 2003.