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SEVEN COLLEGE FELLOWS PARTICIPATED IN THE FOURTH BIANNUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE, CO-SPONSORED BY THE COLLEGE AND THE PACIFIC JUDICIAL COUNCIL (PJC) SINCE 2014-15, ON NOVEMBER 9-11, 2022. THE PJC IS COMPRISED OF THE CHIEF JUSTICES AND PRESIDING JUDGES OF AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM, THE NATIONAL AND STATE COURTS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, THE NORTHERN MARIANAS ISLANDS, AND PALAU. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PJC IS TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF CONTINUING JUDICIAL EDUCATION AND COURT PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND TO ENSURE THE OVERALL IMPROVEMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN THE MEMBER COURTS. THE TRAINING CONFERENCE WAS THE BRAIN-CHILD OF BRIAN O’NEILL, A FORMER REGENT AND PAST CHAIR OF THE COLLEGE’S INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE. IN 2022 THE FOUNDATION OF THE COLLEGE CREATED THE BRIAN O’NEILL MEMORIAL FUND IN HONOR OF BRIAN, WHO HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ALS IN 2019 AND PASSED AWAY IN 2020 SOON AFTER THE THIRD CONFERENCE IN SAIPAN. FELLOWS PAY THEIR OWN WAY TO THESE CONFERENCES, BUT THE FUND HELPS DEFRAY THE EXPENSES FOR FELLOWS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE IN PUBLIC SERVICE – JUDGES, PROSECUTORS AND DEFENDERS. THE FIRST CONFERENCE
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FOURTH BIANNUAL PACIFIC JUDICIAL COUNCIL CONFERENCE
TOOK PLACE IN PALAU; THEN GUAM, SAIPAN, AND THIS YEAR S CONFERENCE, HELD ONCE AGAIN IN KOROR, PALAU.
Palau is an independent South Pacific island country comprised of approximately 21,000 people. Prior to 1994 it was a United States territory. In 1994 Palau secured its independence. In 2008 the Palauan people passed a constitutional amendment allowing for criminal jury trials for defendants charged with crimes where exposure to prison exceeded 12 years. Given the small size of the population and relationships and friendships among the populace and clans, juries by necessity are limited to six people. The institu- tion of these trials became the catalyst for the Conferences. Con- ference attendees travel from all islands of Palau as well as Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia (comprised of Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk).
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