Courts to determine applicability of federal law - KUAM.com-KUAM News: On Air. Online. On Demand.

Courts to determine applicability of federal law

Posted: Updated:

by Nick Delgado

Guam - The Attorney General's Office will leave it up to the Guam Judiciary to determine whether a federal law applies to the territory.  Last Thursday assistant AG Rob Weinberg appeared on behalf of the Guam Police Department in KUAM's case against that agency.  Weinberg told the court that he doesn't believe the Privacy Protection Act of 1980 applies to Guam. 

The federal Act specifically prohibits the search and seizure of documents from newsrooms, such as the search warrant police executed at the KUAM Studios in Harmon last month.  While the office publicly stated that had it been consulted by the police department prior to their efforts to obtain the search warrant, they would have advised against it, apparently the AG's Office is standing by Weinberg's position. 

Deputy Attorney General Patrick Mason said, "I guess that's an issue before the court in this case, so I won't comment at this time."  When then asked if the AG's Office will stand by it until the court decides, he replied, "Yeah, we'll see what's pending and then we'll address those issues to the court."

KUAM's attorneys have argued that the Privacy Protection Act does apply on Guam. GPD has filed a motion to dismiss KUAM's lawsuit, claiming the document they seized from our newsroom is rightfully theirs.  Superior Court Judge Vern Perez ordered the parties to return to court on July 7.

  • NEWS HEADLINESMore>>

  • Guam now in COR1, closest point of approach is tonight

    Guam now in COR1, closest point of approach is tonight

    Acting Governor Joshua F. Tenorio has placed Guam in Condition of Readiness (COR) 1 as of 12 p.m. COR 1 means damaging winds are expected or have already arrived. The island is forecast to experience heavy flooding, especially in low-lying areas. A flash More >>
    Acting Governor Joshua F. Tenorio has placed Guam in Condition of Readiness (COR) 1 as of 12 p.m. COR 1 means damaging winds are expected or have already arrived. The island is forecast to experience heavy flooding, especially in low-lying areas. A flash More >>

  • Guam will move to COR1 no later than 1pm Saturday

    Guam will move to COR1 no later than 1pm Saturday

    Guam will be placed in Condition of Readiness 1 no later than 1:00pm Saturday. At COR1 damaging winds are expected. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Guam and Rota. On its current track, Wutip is forecasted to make its closest point of approaMore >>
    Guam will be placed in Condition of Readiness 1 no later than 1:00pm Saturday. At COR1 damaging winds are expected. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Guam and Rota. On its current track, Wutip is forecasted to make its closest point of approaMore >>

  • Marine base on track with approved H-2B workers, officer in charge won't speak on possible funding loss

    Navy rep says Marine base on track with approved H-2B workers, won't speak on possible funding loss

    Military construction projects continue to ramp up in preparation for the eventual relocation of some 5,000 marines from Okinawa. The U.S. and Japanese governments have committed billions of dollars to the move, and the military officer in charge of the cMore >>
    Military construction projects continue to ramp up in preparation for the eventual relocation of some 5,000 marines from Okinawa. The U.S. and Japanese governments have committed billions of dollars to the move, and the military officer in charge of the cMore >>
    •   
Powered by Frankly