Ads by Google Ads by Google

USDOI posts position of Associate Justice for American Samoa’s High Court

DOI-IA logo
Gov encourages local bar members to “take advantage of this opportunity”
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The US Department of Interior is moving to fill the Associate Justice position on the High Court of American Samoa, and Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has been informed that the federally funded position has gone out for advertisement on a federal online domain.

Associate Justice Lyle Richmond has been on leave for a long time, and District Court Judge, Elvis P. Patea has been serving as Acting Associate Justice of the High Court following his appointed more than a year ago by the Interior Secretary.

In accordance with the local constitution and law, the Chief Justice and the Associate Justice of the High Court of American Samoa are appointed by the Interior Secretary. And they are both federal employees with salaries paid by the DOI.

Lolo said in a brief statement yesterday that he has been informed by Nikolao Pula, the director of the DOI’s Office of Insular and International Affairs, after consultation with the federal Offices of the Solicitor and Human Resources as well as another federal agency that the Associate Justice position will be advertised to avail the opportunity to all interested parties to apply.

The governor says he hopes that members of the American Samoa Bar Association “will take advantage of this opportunity.”

Lolo extends his appreciation to US Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs, Douglas Domenech and Pula “for their quick action to fill this important post given the growing backlog of cases at the High Court requiring adjudication.”

According to the Governor’s Office, the governor had been advised that the Associate Justice position has been released to the federal USAJOBS Board, which then releases the information to the public — online — for interested parties to apply.

The information below provides the hyperlink that takes the applicant directly to the vacancy announcement. The governor is further advised that pursuant to the notification, this is an “exclusive position, ”thus without the hyperlink provided (below) the applicant will not have the ability to apply:

Position Title: Associate Justice

Series & Pay Plan: GS-0905-15

Open Date: 07/24/2018 (Tuesday)

Close Date: 08/07/2018 (Tuesday)

Announcement Link:   OS-1500-18-GPH-118 (EXC) :

Click for full details of the job description, salary and other information.