Supreme Court of Guam | |
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Established | 1996 (28 years ago) |
Jurisdiction | Guam , United States |
Location | Hagatna, Guam |
Authorized by | Organic Act of Guam |
Appeals to | Supreme Court of the United States |
Number of positions | 3 |
Website | Supreme Court of Guam |
Chief Justice | |
Currently | Robert Torres |
Since | January 17, 2023 |
The Supreme Court of Guam is the highest judicial body of the United States territory of Guam. The Court hears all appeals from the Superior Court of Guam and exercises original jurisdiction only in cases where a certified question is submitted to it by a U.S. federal court, the Governor of Guam, or the Guam Legislature. The Supreme Court of Guam is the ultimate judicial authority on local matters. In the past, appeals of questions involving the U.S. Constitution or federal laws or treaties were heard by a three-judge appellate panel of the U.S. District Court of Guam, from which appeals could be further taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit,[1] but this is no longer the case. Since 2006, the court's decisions have only been appealable to the Supreme Court of the United States, in line with the practice regarding the highest courts of the 50 states.[2] The Court sits in the Monessa G. Lujan Memorial Courtroom, which is on the third floor of the Guam Judicial Center in Hagatna, Guam.