New chief legal counsel to Gov’s Office appointed

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Juliet Kristi Thaxton has been appointed as the new Chief Legal Counsel for the Office of the Governor. She replaces Jason Mitchell.

This was confirmed in a statement issued by the Governor’s Office on Monday. “Thaxton began practicing law in 1997 after graduating from Georgia State University Law School.

“She practiced in child welfare, and family law, and prosecuted misdemeanors and traffic offenses.

“Ms Thaxton became a Child Welfare Law Specialist in 2012.

“After prosecuting for nine years, she served as Judge in several courts from 2011- 2021.

“In 2020, Counsel Kristi received the Council of Municipal Court Judges President's Award for improving the lives of people in her community and throughout Georgia based on her service on the Council and her committed devotion to justice.”

According to the statement, Ms Thaxton arrived and served in the American Samoa Government's Office as Governor's Counsel in June 2021, where she now serves as Chief Counsel.

NEW COUNSEL STAFFER

Terry VanEaton joined the Governor's Office staff as a Legal Counsel in October of 2022.

“Prior to joining the Governor's Office, Counsel VanEaton served as an attorney in the Compliance Division of the Nebraska Department of Revenue, and as Director of Compliance for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

“He has served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Prosecution Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Guam and has worked in private practice serving clients in both the private and public sectors.

“Counsel VanEaton is a graduate of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis and is licensed to practice law in American Samoa, Tennessee, and Nebraska.”