Highest court of American Samoa, after the U.S. Supreme Court
High Court of American Samoa
The High Court of American Samoa courthouse
Established
1921 (103 years ago)
Location
Fagatogo, American Samoa
Composition method
appointed by the United States Secretary of the Interior
Authorized by
Constitution of American Samoa
Appeals to
United States Secretary of the Interior (no appeals in practice)[1]
Number of positions
2
Chief Justice
Currently
Michael Kruse
Since
1988
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The High Court of American Samoa is a Samoan court and the highest court below the United States Supreme Court in American Samoa. The Court is located in the capital of Fagatogo. It consists of one chief justice and one associate justice, appointed by the United States Secretary of the Interior, holding office during "good behavior" and removable for cause.[2] As American Samoa has no local federal district court or territorial court, the High Court has also been granted the powers of a federal district court in certain matters while other federal matters are handled by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.[3]
The High Court of American Samoa also has several Samoan associate judges who sit with the two justices. Normally, two associate judges will sit with the chief justice and associate justice on every case.
The Secretary of the Interior retains ultimate authority over the courts.[4]
The colonial-style Maugaolii High Court served as the U.S. Navy headquarters during World War II.[5]
^"American Samoa: Issues Associated with Some Federal Court Options". Government Accountability Office. September 18, 2008.
^Leibowitz, Arnold H (1989). Defining Status: A Comprehensive Analysis of United States Territorial Relations. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-7923-0069-4. His legal position would not only permit him to investigate and overturn decisions of the judiciary in American Samoa, but the decisions of the Executive and Legislative branches as well. … The very fact that his office exists as an ombudsman, to put it kindly, or as a benevolent dictator — to put it less generously — depreciates all Samoan government institutions and makes the Samoan Constitution adopted in 1960 a giant deceit.
^Schermeister, Phil (2016). National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the United States. National Geographic Books. ISBN 9781426216510.
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