CNMI Bar case studies
CNMI Bar · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The CNMI Bar Examination is the licensing examination that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands uses to decide whether an applicant may practise law before its courts. It matters most to locally trained graduates, to attorneys from the U.S. mainland or other jurisdictions who want to add the CNMI, and to lawyers working in government, private practice, or community legal services on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Expect a written, essay-driven examination with multiple-choice and practical or performance elements, testing both mainstream U.S. The CNMI Bar case studies are 5 cases and about 2,684 words.
1The 50-Year Lease and the Chamorro-Owned Shell
Pacific Rim Holdings, a Nevada LLC whose members are all U.S. citizens but none of Northern Marianas descent, wants to develop a 40-unit condominium on a 2.3-acre beachfront parcel in Garapan owned by Jose, a person of Northern Marianas descent.
597 words, about 3 min2Default Judgment After Off-Island Service
On March 3, 2024, Lina, a Saipan homeowner, filed suit in CNMI Superior Court against Guam Builders Inc. for a leaking roof that caused $85,000 in damage.
536 words, about 3 min3The Checkpoint, the Cooler, and the Confession
on July 4, CNMI police operate a sobriety checkpoint on Beach Road, stopping every third car. Officer Reyes stops Maria's car because it is the third vehicle.
507 words, about 3 min4The Customary Foster Child and the Custody Petition
Rosa and David, both Chamorro residents of Rota, placed their 9-year-old son, Mateo, with Rosa's sister, Ana, under the customary practice of fosterage while Rosa was hospitalized for tuberculosis and David was serving a sentence for assault. No court order was entered.
502 words, about 3 min5The Former Client's Waterfront Easement
Attorney Elena has represented Tasi Properties for six years, including a 2019 lease dispute with neighboring Guma LLC over a shared driveway. In that matter, Elena reviewed Tasi's leases, internal emails about its cash-flow problems, and a settlement memo stating Tasi could not afford a long trial.
542 words, about 3 min