Title 3 — Judicial
6 chapters · 53 sections in this title.
A.S.C.A. § 3.1001 Chief and Associate Justices-Appointment
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(a) There shall be a Chief Justice of American Samoa and an Associate Justice of American Samoa. Each shall be learned in the law and appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. (b) Subject to any applicable limitations contained in the statutes of the United States, each shall h…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1002 Powers and duties
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(a) The Chief Justice and the Associate Justice shall be members of the High Court and, sitting separately, shall preside at all its divisions. (b) The Chief Justice shall have power from time to time to designate the associate judges who shall sit with him in the sessions of the…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1003 Acting Chief Justice
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In the event of the disability, disqualification, or absence from the territory of the Chief Justice or in case of a vacancy in that office, the duties of the Chief Justice shall be performed temporarily by one of the following designees as Acting Chief Justice, in the order of p…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1004 Associate judges-Appointment-Term
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(a) There shall be no less than 5 associate judges of the High Court of American Samoa, who shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice and who shall be confirmed by the Senate. (b) The Chief Justice shall designate one of the associate judges …
A.S.C.A. § 3.1005 Associate judges-Powers
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The associate judges of the High Court shall sit in those sessions of the High Court to which they are designated by the Chief Justice from time to time unless disqualified under 3.1007. History: 1962 PL 7-36; 1969 PL 11-54; amd 1979, PL 16-28 § 7. Amendments: 1979 Deleted “of th…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1006 Temporary associate judges
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(a) If, for any reason, associate judges are not available at any time for designation in sufficient numbers to constitute the appellate, trial, or land and titles divisions of the High Court, the Chief Justice may designate other persons to act temporarily as associate judges of…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1007 Disqualification of judges
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(a) No judge shall sit in any case in which he, or a family of which he is a member, has a substantial interest, or in which he has been counsel, is or has been a material witness, or is a member of the same family with any party to the case. (b) Neither the Chief Justice, nor th…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1008 Testimony by justices and judges barred
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It shall be unlawful for the Chief Justice, the Associate Justice, the district court judges, or any associate judge to descend from the bench to give sworn testimony in a case before him. History: 1962, PL 7-36; 1969, PL 11-54; 1970, PL 11-116; PL 11-119; amd 1979, PL 16-28 § 8.…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1009 Prohibition against practice of law
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No justice, judge or employee of the High Court of American Samoa, the district court or the village courts may practice law during his time of office or employment. This prohibition applies to temporary as well as full time judges and justices. A judge pro tempore may practice l…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1010 District court judges-Term
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(a) There are one or more district court judges. A district court judge shall be learned in the law and appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice and confirmed by the Senate. (b) One or more district court judges may be designated as judges pro tempor…
A.S.C.A. § 3.1011 District court judges-Powers
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The district court judges, sitting separately, shall preside at all sessions of the district court unless disqualified under 3.1007. History: 1979, PL 16-28 § 10.