Three nominees submitted to serve as District Court Judges Pro Tempore

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga has submitted for Senate review and approval, the appointments of Jon A. G. Clemens, Lornalei C. Meredith and Aitofele B. Sunia to serve as Judges Pro Tempore of the District Court.

In accordance with local statue, the governor’s appointments are based on recommendations from the Chief Justice.

In his nomination letter to Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean, the governor said that Chief Justice Micheal Kruse noted in his recommendation that each nominee is a product of the local education system, culminating in an ASG scholarship award that facilitated their pursuit of off-island studies.

“Each candidate exhibits the legal experience, diligent work ethnic, and judicial temperament essential for serving in a Judiciary capacity,” the governor wrote and shared a summary of background information on each nominee, as provided by the Chief Justice and the nominees individual resumes.

Clemens achieved his Juris Doctorate from the University of California’s Davis School of Law in 2010 and began work with the High Court as a judicial clerk in 2011 and has served as Staff Council of the court since 2012. He previously held various prosecutorial positions and received several professional awards for outstanding service. “His knowledge and experience in environmental science and management would be beneficial to the bench,” the governor wrote.

For Meredith, she earned her Juris Doctorate from J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University and she currently serves on the Admissions Committee and as President of the American Samoa Bar Association.

Meredith served as vice chair of the American Samoa Legal Aid for four years and has volunteered and interned with other public interest law organizations. She has also worked for the Department of Legal Affairs where she served as Deputy Attorney General prior to opening her private law firm where she currently practices.

Regarding Sunia, who attained his Juris Doctorate from Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law and returned to American Samoa to serve as an assistant attorney general with the Legal Affairs Department. He accepted an offer to serve as legal counsel for LBJ Medical Center and has retained them as a client in his current private practice.

Sunia is vice president of the America Samoa Bar Association where he has been instrumental in organizing a local High School Mock Trial Competition “to encourage our youth to pursue legal studies,” the governor explained.

Lemanu noted that a District Court judge pro tempore is assigned by the Chief Justice and these appointments would restore the number of sitting pro tempore judges to three. Their compensation is allocated in the Judiciary Branch’s annual budget.

Lemanu has also submitted to the Senate the Chief Justice’s letter of recommendation for the three appointees and their resumes.

Under local law, only the Senate confirms judges to the bench. And a confirmation hearing is currently scheduled for next week Monday for all three nominees.