District Court of Guam
Encyclopedia
The District Court of Guam (in case citations, D. Guam) is a United States territorial court
with jurisdiction over the Territory of Guam
. It sits in the capital, Hagåtña
.
The District Court of Guam was established in 1950 by The Organic Act of Guam , to have the same jurisdiction as a United States district court
. Its judges, however, do not have life tenure
and is therefore not a true Article III court
. Because the District Court of Guam is a part of the Ninth Circuit, appeals of the court's decisions are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
.
United States territorial court
The United States territorial courts are tribunals established in territories of the United States by the United States Congress, pursuant to its power under Article Four of the United States Constitution, the Territorial Clause...
with jurisdiction over the Territory of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. It sits in the capital, Hagåtña
Hagåtña, Guam
Hagåtña , formerly English Agana and in Spanish Agaña, is the capital of the United States island territory of Guam. It is the island's second smallest village in both area and population. From the 18th through mid 20th century, it was Guam's population center...
.
The District Court of Guam was established in 1950 by The Organic Act of Guam , to have the same jurisdiction as a United States district court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
. Its judges, however, do not have life tenure
Life tenure
A life tenure or service during good behaviour is a term of office that lasts for the office holder's lifetime , unless the office holder is removed from office for cause under extraordinary circumstances or chooses to resign.Judges and members of some upper chambers have life tenure...
and is therefore not a true Article III court
Article I and Article III tribunals
In the United States, the American legal system includes both state courts and United States federal courts. The federal tribunals may be an Article III tribunal or another adjudicative body classified as an Article I or an Article IV tribunal...
. Because the District Court of Guam is a part of the Ninth Circuit, appeals of the court's decisions are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
.
See also
- Supreme Court of Guam
- Politics of GuamPolitics of GuamPolitics of Guam takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the Governor is head of government, and of a multi-party system...
- Courts of the United StatesCourts of the United StatesCourts of the United States include both the United States federal courts, comprising the judicial branch of the federal government of the United States and state and territorial courts of the individual U.S...
- List of United States federal courthouses in Guam