Koror, Palau -Members of Palau Senate “minority” bloc filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Infrastructure, Industries and Commerce (MPIIC) and its Minister for violation of the Open Government Act for refusing to disclose information and release government documents pertaining the airport expansion agreement with Japan Airport Terminal. Civil Action 18-025 filed on January 29 before the Palau Supreme Court, is the first legal case brought forward under the Open Government

It’s a historical moment in the Palau judiciary as two new associate justices were sworn in this morning to formally take their seat in the Appellate Division of the Palau Supreme Court. Barrie Michelsen taking oath of office President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr administered the oath separately to John K. Rechucher and Barrie Michelsen in Court Room 101 - the chief justice’s chamber. Remengesau in his brief remark said that with the new justices, Palau stands to benefit from the

Associate Justice Kathleen Salii on Monday denied the motion for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction aimed at stopping the Palau Election Commission from opening or counting the absentee ballots cast by overseas voters during the Sept. 27 primary elections. Office of the Palau Election Commission The scheduled counting of absentee of ballots will continue Oct. 4 without a hinge after the court shot down the petition prohibiting the election commission f

Clifton Kloulubak was sentenced to 25 in prison for the murder of Kenneth Koshiba after Palau Supreme Associate Justice Lourdes Materne accepted a guilty plea order on Sept 6. He was one of the men originally charged in the crime. The death of Koshiba in October of last year rocked Palau as the first gun-related killing since 1988 suicide of president Lazarus Salii, who shot himself in the head with a pistol. Koshiba was repeatedly shot with a gas-powered air rifle and pellet

President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr has appointed two longtime attorneys for the position of Associate Justices of the Palau Supreme Court – Appellate Division. In a separate letter to both appointees on 18 August, Remengesau formally appointed John K. Rechucher and Barrie Michelsen to fill the open seat in the appellate division of the newly restructured Palau Supreme Court. “In accordance, with the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Palau, and more particularly the F

Community cooperation is a must to stop illegal poaching of the Napoleon Wrasse, Minister of Natural Resources, Tourism and Environment Umiich Sengebau told Pacific Note. Sengebau was reacting to the social media firestorm created by photos posted on Facebook of alleged tourists holding a dead Napoleon Wrasse. Although the photos do not verify whether it was taken in Palau, it has been known that the tame Napoleon Wrasses found at Blue Corner have been disappearing. There is

Oldiais Ngiraikelau, one of Palau’s preeminent criminal defense attorney has been appointed by President Tommy E, Remengesau, Jr., to be a justice of the Palau Supreme Court - Trial Division. The appointment was made on Friday, 15 July 2016. Judiciary Building in Ngerulmud. (Photo by Ongerung Kambes Kesolei) Ngiraikelau, 60, was the top choice among the seven applicants recommended by the Judicial Nominating Commission as required by the constitution, to President Remengesau