Legal System of Guam
Guam is located in Australia Oceania. It is geographically situated in oceania, island in the north pacific ocean, about three-quarters of the way from hawaii to the philippines. The country achieved independence on none (territory of the us). The capital is Hagatna (Agana).
Government Overview
Government Type: unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches Chief of State: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) Head of Government: Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019) Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature National Holiday: Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legal System
The legal system of Guam is described as common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply
Constitutional Framework
The constitution has the following history: effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution)
Judicial Branch
Highest Court(s): Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices) Judge Selection: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life but subject to retention election every 10 years Subordinate Courts: Superior Court of Guam (includes several divisions); US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)
Legislative Branch
The legislative structure consists of unicameral Note: note: Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote
Citizenship and Suffrage
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Historical Background
Guam was settled by Austronesian people around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including the Micronesians in the first millennium A.D., and island Southeast Asians around 900. Society was stratified, with higher classes living along the coast and lower classes living inland.
This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Guam based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.