Paradise is calling.... from American Samoa.
As an "unincorporated" territory, not all provisions of the U.S. Constitution apply which makes the practice of law in American Samoa quite unique. Geographically speaking, the closest U.S. District Court is in Hawaii,
however, the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. also has jurisdiction by virtue of the fact that American
Samoa is administered by the U.S. Department of Interior. The High Court of American Samoa is the sole court in American Samoa consisting of a Chief Justice and an Associate Justice, both of whom are appointed by the United States Secretary of Interior. The High Court consists of four distinct divisions, The Trial Division, the Lands & Titles Division, the Appellate Division, and the Family Drug & Alcohol Division. The rest of the judiciary consists of a local District Court
and village courts. Although not technically a federal court, the High Court exercises limited jurisdiction over
traditionally federal matters such as admiralty/maritime matters.
Join Kristi Thaxton, Legal Counsel Office of the Governor to learn about practicing law in American Samoa Government.
Please RSVP in LawDawgDash below.