Office of the Governor of Guam

04/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/23/2024 20:10

Guam Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case Regarding Attorney General's Duties to Agencies

Hagåtña, Guam - In an Order issued today, the Supreme Court of Guam has determined that it has jurisdiction over Governor Lou Leon Guerrero's Request for Declaratory Judgment relative to the Attorney General's duties to Executive Branch agencies, which she filed on March 14, 2024. Finding that the issues presented in the case, challenging the propriety of the Attorney General's February 28, 2024 withdrawal from agency representation, represent matters of great public importance, and that expedited resolution of the issues is appropriate, the Court has ordered Governor Leon Guerrero and the Attorney General to submit briefs on the issues in the coming weeks.

"The Supreme Court's Order highlights what many of our agencies already know to be true, that the Attorney General's withdrawal from representing our agencies will substantially impact government operations because 22 of our most impacted agencies will be left without legal services they need to do their important work," said Governor Leon Guerrero. "We are hopeful that a short briefing and argument schedule will enable the Supreme Court to reach a swift decision on these issues, and restore stability to our agencies after the chaos caused by the Attorney General's withdrawal."

The Court has ordered the parties to complete briefing by early May, with oral argument scheduled on May 20, 2024.

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