‘A true milestone in CNMI history’

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge Mary M. Schroeder said the nomination and confirmation of Ramona Villagomez Manglona—making her the first federal judge from the Northern Marianas—is a true milestone in the history of the CNMI.

“I hope that she (Manglona) will work with the Commonwealth judges here in order to ensure that the federal and Commonwealth courts, together, build a new and honorable tradition. If anyone can do it with dignity and grace, she can,” said Schroeder in her keynote address during Saturday’s investiture ceremony for Chief Judge Manglona at the district courtroom.

Schroeder also administered the oath of office for Manglona.

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial in his remarks disclosed that it was the influence and inspiration of Ramona’s late father, Manuel “Tan Ne” S. Villagomez, that were key factors in his decision to recommend Manglona in October 2009 for chief judge of the District Court for the NMI.

In her judicial address, Manglona noted the words “Equal Justice Under Law” that are engraved on the front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.

“That is what I promise to do my utmost to secure in the District Court for Northern Mariana Islands. I am honored and humbled to have given that sacred trust,” said Manglona in concluding her address, drawing applause and standing ovation from the guests in the packed courtroom.

Stellar background

In her speech, Schroeder recalled that she was Manglona’s chief buster and cheerleader on Capitol Hill after President Obama nominated her.

“Mona—your background is stellar, your personal attributes wonderful…” Schroeder said. “What kicked your confirmation over the goal line was your beautiful name.”

Schroeder said the last time she spoke in a great event like this investiture was when she also served as a keynote speaker at the “Judicial Independence Day of CNMI Courts” in 2004 when the CNMI celebrated the end of discretionary review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

She said she then came as “King George III” to give up power.

As a Chicago Cubs fan, Schroeder said, she noticed a sign at a Spring training game that said, “building a new tradition.”

The Northern Marianas that day, she said, were about building a new tradition for the Commonwealth courts.

“What I said was that we cannot know what the future will bring, but we can understand that the building blocks are people, and if they are to be strong building blocks, they must be familiar with a variety of legal traditions. They must embody the qualities necessary to produce leadership, constructive change, and shared positive values. They must be people with courage and self reliance,” Schroeder pointed out.

To find such people, she said, young people must be encouraged to seek environments that are enlightening and nurturing.

Schroeder stressed that the main road to progress in simple word is education.

“Without educated leadership, we cannot have effective leadership, we need leaders of legal system who can make it function impartially and fairly, and provide sensible and prompt guidance for the judges and citizens of these islands,” she said.

Schroeder said Manglona is the kind of person that she was talking about—intelligent, educated, dedicated, and effective.

A father’s gift

In his remarks, Fitial said he came to know Manglona’s father, the late Manuel, fondly known as Tan Ne, since his early elementary years at Mt. Carmel School from 1956 to 1961.

“I vividly remember that on some days on my way home from school, I would hear Tan Ne, cheering his favorite baseball team, the San Francisco Giants, as he listened to the U.S. Major League Baseball games on the radio,” Fitial said.

The governor said as they chatted one day about an ongoing game, Tan Ne was surprised when he heard him (Fitial) talking about some of the famous baseball players on his favorite team.

“At that moment, he realized that he was never alone listening to the radio commentary of the Giants’ games,” Fitial said.

He said Tan Ne ensured that his children would go on to pursue higher education in the U.S. by acquiring a home away from home in San Leandro, California.

“Mona, is one of Tan Ne’s children who took advantage of her father’s gift for her future and went off to school and graduated with a law degree,” the governor said.

Fitial said from reading her rulings from the bench, he is pleased to state that he found Manglona to be “judiciously fair and impartial in her court decisions.”

“I firmly believe she developed her quality and integrity as a fair judge by diligently researching court cases and case laws upon which she based her final court rulings and decisions,” Fitial said.

He said soon after Judge Alex Munson announced his plans to retire as District Court Chief Judge, he and Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos agreed that Manglona would be “perfect for the District Court.”

Judicial service

In her address, Manglona said it is truly and honor to be called to serve as a federal judge.

Manglona recalled that when she spoke eight years ago at her investiture as a Superior Court judge, she stated that judicial service is a duty of the profession which, if one is called to it, one should gratefully accept.

“Today, I gratefully, and humbly, accept this new trust and duty on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth,” she said.

Manglona said to all persons who may someday avail themselves of the district court—whether as litigants, lawyers, or jurors—she pledges to work tirelessly to ensure that in the CNMI, the people enjoy the same high quality of technology, facilities, and services that they have come to expect from the federal courts in jurisdictions throughout the U.S.

She said she looks forward to maintaining the District Court’s active role in the continuing education of the local Bar, as well as encouraging and supporting the community’s talented young people to pursue a legal career.

“The law is a noble profession. If, by my example as the Chief Judge of the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, I can help promote the value of the legal profession within our community and especially our youth, I will truly be blessed,” Manglona said.

Manglona expressed her gratitude to President Obama, White House Counsel’s House, Judge Schroeder, Gov. Fitial, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Sablan, U.S. Senate Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, former Gov. Juan N. Babauta, and to many other people, judges, lawyers, family members, court employees, and friends, who supported her.

Congressman Sablan also delivered brief remarks. He then read President Obama’s commission, which was the official act of appointment of Manglona to the District Court for the NMI as Chief Judge for a term of 10 years.

In December 2009, Sablan recommended Manglona to President Obama.

U.S. District of Guam Chief Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood delivered the welcome remarks. Manglona’s children—Savana and Dencio—presented the scales of justice and gavel.

CNMI associate justice John A. Manglona conducted the investiture of judicial robe to his wife of over 20 years.

Aside from Supreme Court of North Dakota Justice Daniel J. Crothers and other federal judges, among the guests in the ceremony were judges from Guam, CNMI, and Federated States of Micronesia.