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\cs16\scaps\f112\fs17\super\insrsid11487387 th}{\cs16\scaps\f112\fs17\insrsid11487387  G.L. Judgement Reducing 25}{\cs16\scaps\f112\fs17\super\insrsid11487387 th}{\cs16\scaps\f112\fs17\insrsid11487387  G.L./1997 Guam 17/Concurring Opinion
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\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF GUAM}{\b\insrsid11878068\charrsid11878068 
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 IN RE:}{\b\insrsid11878068  }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 REQUEST OF THE 24th GUAM
\par LEGISLATURE FOR DECLARATORY
\par JUDGMENT AS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION
\par OF THE INITIATIVE REDUCING MEMBERS
\par OF THE 25th GUAM LEGISLATURE}{\insrsid11878068 
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Supreme Court Case
\par No. CRQ97-001
\par Filed: November 5, 1997
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Cite as: }{\b\insrsid11878068 1997 }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Guam 17
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 MOTION TO DISMISS
\par Argued and Ruled Upon 19 September 1997
\par Agana, Guam
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par }{\b\insrsid11878068 Appearing for Respondent,}{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par Twenty-Fourth Guam Legislature}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par DOUGLAS B. MOYLAN, ESQ.
\par Office of the Legislative Counsel
\par Twenty-Fourth Guam Legislature
\par 155 Hesler Street
\par Agana, Guam 96910
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Appearing for Respondent, 
\par Governor of Guam}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par KENNETH D. ORCUTT
\par Assistant Attorney General
\par Suite 2-200E, Judicial Center Building
\par 120 West O}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 {\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 61 \\f "WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Brien Drive
\par Agana, Guam 96910
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Attorney for Respondent, 
\par Minority Senators, 
\par Twenty-Fourth Guam Legislature}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par THERESE M. TERLAJE
\par Barcinas and Terlaje, P.C.
\par Suite 216, Union Bank Building
\par 194 Hernan Cortes Avenue
\par Agana, Guam 96910
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 ____________________}{\insrsid11487387 
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 CONCURRING OPINION}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
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\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [1]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 ARRIOLA, JOAQUIN C.,}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  Associate Justice, concurring in the result:}{\insrsid11487387 
\par }{\insrsid11878068\charrsid11878068 
\par }\pard \qj \fi432\li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
I concur with the result reached in the main opinion, solely on the question of jurisdiction, but I do not wish to indulge in issues foreign to it, i.e., issues whether Public Law 24-61 is retroactive or the merits of the Legislative Request contained in 
Resolution No. 97-77.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [2]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab On May 6, 1997, the 24th Guam Legislature adopted Resolution No. 97-77, which requested a declaratory judgment, pursuant to }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
{\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 39 \\f "WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  4104, Title 7 GCA.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Resolution 97-77 was thereafter filed wi
th this Court, and the Legislature, the Governor of Guam and the Minority Leader of the Guam Legislature were designated interested and appropriate parties to the proceedings.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [3]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab Briefs were to be filed by September 12, 1997,}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 and oral argument was sch
eduled for 9:00 A.M., Friday, September 19, 1997.
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [4]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab 
First of all, it should be noted that unlike Rule 57, of both Federal and Superior Court of Guam Rules of Civil Procedure for the Superior Court of Guam, the declaratory judgment relief made available by }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
{\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 39 \\f "WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  4104 does not require a justiciable controversy.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
Instead of filing its Brief, the Legislature on September 12, 1997, adopted and filed with this Court, Resolution 97-155, which sought the withdrawal of the Request for Declaratory Judgment contained in Resolution 97-77.}{\insrsid11878068  }{
\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Three days later, on September 15, 1997, the Legislature passed Bill No. 220, a measure to appropriate $350,000 for road construction.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
Attached to Bill 220 was a rider which repealed and re-enacted }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 {\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 39 \\f "WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
 4104--an abhorrent practice given its own Legislative Rules which provide that only "germane amendments may be made in the session or in the Committee of the Whole."}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 {\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 39 \\f 
"WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  6.04.07, Standing Rules of the 24th Guam Legislature.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
Bill 220 was passed by the Legislature on September 15, 1997, and was signed by the Acting Governor of Guam on September 17, 1997, and thereby became Public Law 24-61.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 P{\*\bkmkstart QuickMark}
{\*\bkmkend QuickMark}ublic Law 24-61 became effective midnight, September 17, 1997.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 {\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 39 \\f "WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{
\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  102, Title 1, GCA.
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [5]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab The relevant portion of }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 {\field{\*\fldinst SYMBOL 39 \\f "WP TypographicSymbols" \\s 12}{\fldrslt\f169\fs24}}}{
\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  4104, as re-enacted, reads:}{\insrsid11487387 
\par }{\insrsid11878068\charrsid11878068 
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri432\keep\widctlpar\faauto\rin432\lin720\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 "}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 .}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 .}{\insrsid11878068  }{
\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 .}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
Upon a writing, or resolution in the case of the Guam Legislature, by the party submitting the request for the declaratory judgment that the party wishes the Supreme Court to dismiss its petition for declaratory judgment, }{
\i\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 the Supreme Court shall no longer have jurisdiction and shall dismiss}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
 without prejudice the declaratory judgment case, provided that the request is filed with the Supreme Court at any time before the Court renders its written decision."}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 (Italics added).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [6]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab 
In the federal system, Article III of the Constitution vests the judicial power of the United States in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may establish.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
Thus, federal courts (other than the Supreme Court) derive their jurisdiction wholly from Congress--defining the jurisdiction of such courts.}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
"The Congressional power to ordain and establish inferior courts includes the power 'of investing them with jurisdiction either limited, concurre
nt, or exclusive, and of withholding jurisdiction from them in the exact degrees and character which to Congress may seem proper for the public good'."}{\insrsid11878068  }{\i\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Lockerty v. Phillips}{
\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  (1943) 319 U.S. 182, 63 S. Ct. 1019, 87 L.Ed. 1339, 1343.
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [7]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab "And jurisdiction having been conferred, may, at the will of Congress be taken away in whole or in part; and if withdrawn }{\i\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
without a saving clause, all pending cases, although cognizable when commenced, must fall}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 ." (Italics added).}{\insrsid11878068  }{\i\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Gates v. Osborne}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
 (1870) 9 Wall. 567, 19 L.Ed. 748, 751; }{\i\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Kline v. Burke Constr. Co.}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068  (1922) 260 U.S. 226, 43 S. Ct. 79, 67 L.Ed. 226, 232.
\par 
\par }{\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 [8]}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 \tab As of midnight, September 17, 1997, the Request for Declaratory Judgment was pending; a Resolution was adopted by the Legislature and filed with this Court, 
requesting dismissal or withdrawal of such Request;}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Public Law 24-61 did not contain a saving clause;}{\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 the Court had not rendered its decision.}{
\insrsid11878068  }{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 Accordingly, based on the foregoing U.S. Supreme Court decisions, this case "fell," and should be dismissed for want of jurisdiction.
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11878068 {\b\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 JOAQUIN C. ARRIOLA}{\insrsid11487387\charrsid11878068 
\par Associate Justice (P.T.)
\par ____________
\par }}