Civil Litigation: Protecting the Public Interest

The Civil Litigation Division of the Office of the Attorney General handles civil actions in which the government is an interested party.  This includes bringing actions on behalf of the government and defending actions brought against the government in both the trial and appellate courts of Guam and the courts of the United States. The Attorney General is also tasked with bringing actions on her own behalf when necessary to ensure compliance by government agencies, government officials, and private parties with the regulatory laws of Guam, and on behalf of the people of Guam in matters regarding protection of the public interest.

Some of the types of cases handled by the Civil Litigation Division include land condemnation, land registration, zoning and easement disputes, wrongful death, personal injury, government employee discipline and grievance, wage and hour disputes, maritime law, contract disputes, procurement, civil forfeitures, consumer complaints, involuntary commitments, environmental protection, cases to determine the extent of government authority and the legality of government action, and cases resolving the interpretation, constitutionality, and organicity of laws.

Solicitor Division: The Gov't. of Guam's Lawyers

The Solicitor Division functions as the legal department of the government of Guam, providing legal assistance to the various Executive Branch agencies, boards, and commissions.

In addition, the Division handles criminal cases involving alleged welfare fraud, and provides assistance in civil litigation cases. The Division also participates in various task forces, committees, and round table discussions on legal matters.

Task of the Solicitor Division:

• writing Attorney General opinions;
• giving legal advice to agencies through informational memoranda;
• reviewing government bonds;
• drafting, reviewing, and approving proposed agency rules and regulations before they go to the Governor for submission to the Legislature;
• assisting in conducting public hearings for agency rules and regulations;
• drafting and revising standardized forms for use by agencies;
• acting as agency counsel at administrative hearings;
• acting as Fair Hearing Officer at federally mandated fair hearings for public assistance cases;
• acting as Hearing Officer at administrative hearings before Boards and Commissions;
• drafting and/or reviewing procurement contracts;
• assisting agencies with procurements;
• reviewing and approving non-procurement agreements such as inter-agency memoranda of understanding, qualifying certificates, and government real property transactions;
• reviewing and/or drafting bills or legislation as requested by an agency or required by the Attorney General;
• coordinating responses to Sunshine Act requests;
• assisting with all legal issues related to the notary public program; and
• assisting in administrative matters related to the Commission on Post-Mortem Examiners.