Guam § 1103 - Effective Dates.

§ 1103. Effective Dates.

(a) Delay. No provisions of this Act except § 6112, § 6113, § 6114 and § 6117, shall take effect until

May 1, 1993. [Sections] 6112, 6113, 6114 and 6117 shall take effect upon enactment of this Act.

(b) Organization. For purposes of adoption of rules and the establishment of a staffing pattern for the

Judicial Branch, this Division, and the remaining portions of Title 7 enacted in this Act shall take effect on

May 1, 1993.

(c) Appointment of Justices and Judges. For the purpose of the appointment of Justices and Judges,

this Division shall go into effect upon approval by I Liheslatura of the Rules, as provided in paragraph (d),

infra.

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(d) Adoption of rules of court. Within thirty (30) days after May 1, 1993, the Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of Guam shall appoint a commission (the Rules Commission) to draft proposed new rules

and procedures to govern the operation of the Judicial Branch as reorganized by this Act (the Rules). The

Rules Commission shall consist of thirteen (13) members, of whom six (6) shall be sitting Judges of the

Superior Court, four (4) shall be attorneys admitted to practice in Guam and members of the Guam Bar

Association, and three (3) shall be lay persons who are residents of Guam, citizens of the United States, and

of good reputation. At its first sitting, the Rules Commission shall elect a chairperson from among its

members, and shall adopt a schedule of public hearings and meetings during which the Rules shall be

considered and recommended for adoption. The Superior Court shall furnish personnel and other logistic

support to the Rules Commission, which, in addition to the Rules, shall consider and make

recommendations on the staffing pattern of the Judicial Branch as reorganized by this Act. When the Rules

Commission has concluded its studies and has agreed upon the proposed Rules and staffing pattern, it shall

submit the same to the Judicial Council, which shall in turn submit them to I Liheslatura, without any

changes therein, although it may make recommendations to I Liheslatura thereon. The Rules Commission

shall cease to exist thirty (30) days after its submission to the Judicial Council. I Liheslatura, without the

forty-five-day limitation of the Administrative Law (the AAL), may, by statute, approve such Rules and

staffing pattern or modify them as it deems fit. After the effective date of the Rules and staffing pattern, I

Maga’håga/Maga’låhi shall appoint the Justices and Judges authorized by this Act. Upon the due

appointment and confirmation of such Justices and Judges, the Justices, sitting en banc, shall review the

Rules and staffing pattern, and may approve or modify the same, which Rules and staffing pattern of the

Supreme Court as so adopted by the Justices shall be deemed proposed rules and regulations adopted by an

autonomous agency of the government of Guam pursuant to the Administrative Adjudication Law and shall

therefore be transmitted to I Liheslatura which shall consider them in the manner and under the time

limitations as set out in the Administrative Adjudication Law.

(e) Hearing appeals. For purposes of hearing appeals and matters within the original jurisdiction of the

Supreme Court of Guam, this Title shall take effect upon certification by the Chief Justice to I

Maga’håga/Maga’låhi, to the Judge of the District Court of Guam, and to I Liheslatura, that the Supreme

Court of Guam is fully ready to accept the jurisdiction conferred upon it.

(f) Other matters. Any portions of this Act not dealing with matters covered by subsections (a), (b),

(c), (d) or (e) of this § 1103 shall take effect at the same time as is provided in paragraph (e), supra.