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Fellows Keith Strong and Carolyn Ostby, both retired federal Magistrate Judges from Montana (Ms. Ostby is also a former Chair of the International Committee), Mickey Pohl of Pittsburgh, Claire Rauscher of Charlotte, Rob Goodin (current Interna- tional Committee Chair) and Harold McEl- hinny, both of whom are from San Fran- cisco, Rick Glaser of Charlotte, together with Hannah McElhinny, a federal Pub- lic Defender who handles juvenile cases in Washington, DC, presented on a number of topics. Fellows Strong, Pohl and Glaser have participated in all four conferences. Topics presented ranged from Search and Seizure, Pro Se litigants, Alternative Dis- pute Resolution, How to Handle High Pro- file Cases, How to Try Complicated Cases, Juvenile Justice Reform, Brady obligations, Expert Testimony, How to Get Documents into Evidence, Ethics, Civility and a review of the Criminal Trial experience on Palau.
Panels of local judges and attorneys discussed issues of concern in those areas for the Palau, Guam and CNMI Bars and Courts. There are unique issues faced by Palauan juries that were discussed by the criminal jury trial panel. Those issues ranged from proper translation of the multiple languages spoken in the island country (Palauan and English by Palauan citizens; foreign nationals who spoke Fijian, Filipino and Chinese), to serving summonses on those who live on the outer islands, transporting prospective jurors to the main island for jury duty and the approaching of jurors by interested persons outside the courtroom.
The success of this conference as well as the three prior conferences were a result of months of planning. In particular, Chief Justice Phillip Car- bullido of Guam and his staff spent hours helping to develop presentation topics as well as preparing logistical support for the conference. Through- out two years of planning, complicated by the pandemic, our team col- laborated on a monthly basis directly with Chief Justice Carbullido and his staff, specifically the justice’s assistant, Petrina Ula.
The Bars of Palau and Guam as well as the PJC sponsored dinners for the presenters on all three nights of the conference. In addition to being feted each night by the local Bars, College team members enjoyed other island hospitality as well as the natural wonders of Palau. Fellows were able to snorkel and scuba dive in the pristine waters around and near the main island of Koror. We enjoyed local cuisine and were able to tour some of the smaller islands of Palau, including Peleliu, a living museum of an is- land where tanks, bunkers, man-carved caves and downed planes from a fierce WW II battle still dot its now-forested landscape.
Plans are underway for the next Conference.
Richard S. Glaser Charlotte, NC
WINTER 2023
JOURNAL 74
On the last night of the conference, after listening to Palauan music and watching young adult Palauans perform historic dances, the Fel- lows presented the local organizers with crystal paper weights from the College for the extraordinary efforts the PJC displayed in partnering with the College for this event.