ARTICLE VII


THE JUDICIARY

 Section 1. Judicial Power. The judicial power of the Territory shall be vested in
a unified judicial system, which shall include a Superior Court and such other court or
courts of lesser jurisdiction or limited jurisdiction as may have been or may hereafter
be established by law. Courts of lesser jurisdiction may be divided into geographical
departments or districts as provided by law and into functional divisions and
subdivisions as provided by law or by judicial rules not inconsistent with law.

 Section 2. Superior Court. The Superior Court shall be the highest court of the
Territory and shall consist of a chief judge and such associate judges as may be
provided by law.

 Section 3. Jurisdiction of Courts. The Superior Court shall have general original
jurisdiction in all causes in the Territory, except causes arising under the Constitution,
treaties and laws of the United States or except where otherwise provided by law. The
Superior Court may on motion of any party, when it is in the interest of justice of do so,
transfer to the Superior Court any action or proceeding brought in a court of lesser
jurisdiction and the Superior Court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine such
action or proceeding. The Superior Court shall also have appellate jurisdiction to
review the judgments and orders of the lesser courts of the Territory to the extent now
or hereafter provided by law.

 Section 4. Appointment of Judges. The Governor with the advice and consent of
the Legislature shall appoint the chief judge and associate judges of the Superior
Court and all other courts of lesser jurisdiction. The Governor shall give ten days'
public notice before making an interim appointment when the Legislature is not in
session.

 Section 5. Qualifications of Judges. No person shall be eligible for judicial office
 unless he is a citizen of the United States, shall have been admitted to the practice of
 law in the Territory at least ten years prior to his appointment, and shall have resided in
 the Territory at least five years immediately prior thereto. No person who holds a
 judicial office in the Territory shall hold any other paid office, position of profit or
 employment under the Territory of the United States. Any judge who becomes a
 candidate for an elective office shall thereby forfeit his judicial office.

 Section 6. Terms of Office. The Judges of the Superior Court shall hold their
 offices for initial terms of seven years and upon reappointment shall hold their offices
 during good behavior. They shall be retired upon attaining the age of seventy years
 and shall be pensioned as may be provided by law. The chief judge of the Superior
 Court may from time to time appoint retired judges to such special assignments as may


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