In a letter dated March 16, Attorney General Edward Manibusan urged Senate leadership and members of the 24th Legislature to reject Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho’s nomination as the next presiding judge of the CNMI Superior Court, arguing that Camacho has “failed to properly and consistently apply basic law in his cases, requiring extraordinary relief by the Supreme Court and creating substantial delays in criminal cases.”
Manibusan attached summaries of five cases in which the Supreme Court overturned or corrected Camacho’s rulings.
“These cases share critical features,” Manibusan wrote. “Most required extraordinary writ relief… where a judge is clearly erroneous as a matter of law.” He said the pattern “harms the people of the Commonwealth by creating delays in justice for victims, increased litigation costs borne by taxpayers, and erosion of confidence in the consistent application of law.”
According to the attorney general, the cases “provide an overview of the lack of legal acumen in decision-making displayed by the judge in serious criminal matters involving violent crimes like sexual assault.”
Judge Camacho was among three jurists nominated by the Apatang administration last month to fill key vacancies in the CNMI Judiciary following the resignation of Associate Justice Perry B. Inos. Camacho, a former prosecutor and private attorney, has served as associate judge since 2011.
The Senate Committee on Judicial Appointments has scheduled public hearings in the coming weeks for the judicial nominees.
Under the CNMI Canons of Judicial Conduct, judges are prohibited from publicly commenting on pending or impending matters, including controversies involving the executive branch. The code is designed to preserve judicial impartiality and prevent statements that could be perceived as political, prejudicial, or undermining public confidence in the courts.
