Title 3 — Judicial
6 chapters · 53 sections in this title.
A.S.C.A. § 3.0301 Composition
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The District Court shall consist of 1 or more district court judges. History: 1979, PL 16-28 § 16.
A.S.C.A. § 3.0302 Jurisdiction
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(a) The District Court has jurisdiction of the following matters: civil cases or controversies other than actions involving land or matai titles, in which the amount in controversy shall not exceed $15,000; criminal cases in which the offense charged is a misdemeanor or any offen…
A.S.C.A. § 3.0303 Sessions-Petit jury
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(a) All sessions of the District Court are conducted by a District Court judge sitting alone. (b) Sessions of the District Court are held in the Court House in Fagatogo, Tutuila, or at such other places in American Samoa as the business of the court requires and as the Chief Just…
A.S.C.A. § 3.0304 General powers
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The District Court has power to issue process and do all acts not inconsistent with law or with the rules made by the Chief Justice of American Samoa, as may be required for the due administration of justice, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing powers, may grant…
A.S.C.A. § 3.0305 Contempt power
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The District Court has the power to punish by fine or imprisonment, at its discretion, contempt of its authority consisting of the following: (1) misbehavior of any person in its presence or so near thereto that the misbehavior obstructs the administration of justice; (2) misbeha…
A.S.C.A. § 3.0306 Not a court of record
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The District Court is not a court of record, but the Chief Justice may from time to time order that record be made of any individual proceeding or any class of proceedings. History: 1979, PL 16-28 § 16.
A.S.C.A. § 3.0307 Clerk and other officers
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(a) The Clerk of the High Court serves also as Clerk of the District Court; other High Court officers and employees may be assigned to work part-time or full-time for the district court by the Chief Justice of the High Court. (b) In addition, such employees of the District Court …
A.S.C.A. § 3.0308 Trial of small claims
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Small claims, which arc defined as civil claims of less than $3,000 may be tried under simplified procedures in district court in accordance with Title 43. History: 1979, PL 16-28 § 16; 1985, PL 19-5 § 1; amd 1997 PL 25-3.
A.S.C.A. § 3.0309 Appeals
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Final decisions of the District Court may be appealed to the High Court. Upon appeal, cases or controversies in which there is a stenographic record are considered by the appellate division of the High Court for review of the findings of fact and conclusions of law. All other cas…