Associate Justice Perry B. Inos, Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja, and Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo will be up for retention election this November\u2019s mid-term election. <\/p>\n
Inos, Naraja, and Govendo have not publicly discussed their intent to serve additional terms on the bench.<\/p>\n
As an associate justice in the CNMI Supreme Court, this will be the first time for the 53-year-old Inos to undergo the retention election process. He was previously retained for another six-year term on the bench in 2012 when he was still an associate judge.<\/p>\n
Inos ascended to the bench as an associate judge in the Superior Court on Sept. 22, 2008, after then-governor Benigno R. Fitial nominated him.<\/p>\n
He became an associate justice in the CNMI Supreme Court in March 2013 after the CNMI Senate confirmed his nomination.<\/p>\n
If the 64-year-old Naraja wants to serve six more years on the bench, this November will be his third retention election.<\/p>\n
Naraja ascended to the Superior Court bench as an associate judge in 2001 when then-governor Pedro P. Tenorio appointed him. Two years later, then-governor Juan N. Babauta appointed Naraja as presiding judge, which is the position he currently holds.<\/p>\n
In 2007 and 2014, voters backed Naraja\u2019s retention on the bench. <\/p>\n
If the 75-year-old Govendo wins his third term, he will be the oldest judge to sit on the CNMI bench.<\/p>\n
Then-governor Babauta appointed Govendo as associate judge in 2003. In 2007 and 2014, voters overwhelmingly voted for Govendo\u2019s retention. <\/p>\n
Under a constitutional amendment, the question of whether justices or judges will be retained shall be put to a vote at a general election immediately before the end of that justice\u2019s or judge\u2019s initial term of office.<\/p>\n
In 2003, Juan T. Lizama was the first judge in the CNMI to be retained on the bench. <\/p>\n