PLAN FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE ATTORNEY ADMISSION FUND
OF THE DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Effective October 23, 2020
Table of Contents
A. Attorney Admission Fund......................................................................................................................... 3
B. Advisory Committee ................................................................................................................................. 3
C. Uses of the Admission Fund ..................................................................................................................... 3
1. Prohibited Expenditures:....................................................................................................................... 3
2. Permissible Expenditures:..................................................................................................................... 4
D. Custodian of the Fund ............................................................................................................................... 6
E. Duties and Responsibilities of the Custodian ........................................................................................... 6
F. Protection of the Fund’s Assets ................................................................................................................ 7
G. Disbursements from the Fund ................................................................................................................... 7
H. Audits and Inspections .............................................................................................................................. 7
I. Dissolution of the Fund............................................................................................................................. 8
J. Effective Date ........................................................................................................................................... 8
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A. Attorney Admission Fund
Attorneys seeking to be members of the bar of this court are required to pay admissions,
pro hac vice, and renewal fees which are in addition to the fees established by the Judicial
Conference pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1914. These fees are deposited into the court’s Attorney
Admission Fund (the Fund) and constitute a source of non-appropriated funds to be used only
for purposes which inure to the benefit of the bench and the bar in the administration of justice.
B. Advisory Committee
An Advisory Committee may be established to advise the court on matters of policy
relating to the administration of the Fund. The Committee may include the Chief Judge, the
Clerk of Court/Magistrate Judge, and at least two members of the district court bar appointed by
the Chief Judge.
C. Uses of the Admission Fund
1. Prohibited Expenditures:
a. Attorney admission funds must not be used to pay for goods or
services for which appropriations may legally be used, even if the
appropriated funds are exhausted or otherwise not available (e.g.
because an expenditure would exceed a judiciary spending limit).
These funds may not be used to pay for, in whole or part, material,
supplies, services, or salaries available from statutory appropriations.
b. Attorney admission funds must not be used to supplement the salary
of any judge or court employee, or to provide a personal benefit to
any judge or court employee, or his or her family member. As a
limited exception, a judge or court employee, or his or her family
member, may receive de minimis personal benefit incidental to a
proper expenditure from the attorney admission fund, (e.g., meals,
refreshments or hospitality items).
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2. Permissible Expenditures:
The Attorney Admission fund may be used for the following
a. Attorney admissions proceedings, including expenses of
admissions committees and admissions ceremonies.
b. Attorney disciplinary proceedings, including expenses of
investigating counsel for disciplinary enforcement, travel expenses,
and witness fees in disciplinary proceedings.
c. Attorney amenities, such as internet and telephone service,
furnishings, equipment, appliances, and similar supplies and
materials for use by attorneys while in the courthouse.
d. Legal services for indigent pro se civil litigants, reimbursement of
fees (attorney and witness), and expenses for representation of
indigent pro se civil litigants when appointed by the court,
including appointments for limited purposes, such as settlement
conferences. In the event of an award of attorney’s fees or costs to
pro bono counsel in the course of such litigation, the court may
order return to the Fund of any payments made from the Fund to
counsel for fees and expenses.
e. Continuing Legal Education, including expenses, such as travel
costs for presenters who are not federal judges or court employees,
for court-related and continuing legal educational programs and
conferences for members of the bar, their support staff, the CJA
Panel, law clerks, law students, or members of the public.
f. Court Ceremonies, including expenses for ceremonies for
investitures, memorial or historical events, portrait hangings and
reentry program graduations.
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g. Projects, Programs, Meetings and Conferences, including expenses
for awards, supplies and publications for legal education and
community outreach programs, bench and bar meetings and
settlement conferences.
h. Hospitality items (e.g., food, beverages, mementos) for the
ceremonies, programs, meetings, conferences and other events
described in this section and for which appropriated funds may not
be used, including refreshments and meals for judges and
employees attending a bench/bar meeting or similar event at their
official duty station in a non-official capacity.
i. Juror Expenditures, including the purchase of items, which cannot
be purchased with appropriated funds, for the comfort and
convenience of jurors, including reimbursement to jurors for lost
or damaged personal property incident to their jury service, when
compensation is not available under a statute such as the Federal
Tort Claims Act.
j. Cash Donations to law-related educational or charitable
organizations, such as the Pacific Judicial Council, historical
societies, schools, or bar associations, for purposes that advance the
administration of justice in the courts.
k. Attorney Awards, including non-cash awards and commendations
for members of the bar.
l. Portraits, including paintings or photographs of individual judges
or court employees for display in the courthouse.
m. Books, periodicals and other resource materials for court libraries,
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notwithstanding the rule against augmentation. This exception was
recognized by the General Accounting Office (now Government
Accountability Office (GAO)).
n. Lawyer Representative Reimbursement for expenses incurred to
participate in circuit meetings and conferences, such
reimbursement may follow court employee travel guidelines.
o. Surety bond for the custodian of the fund. The bond may only cover
monies in the fund.
p. Auditing Fees for services rendered by outside auditors or
accountants in auditing the fund.
q. Other Authorized Purpose, any other purpose for which
appropriated funds may not legally be used that will benefit the
bench and the bar in the administration of justice.
D. Custodian of the Fund
The Clerk of Court (“Clerk”) is designated as the Custodian. In the event of the death,
retirement, or resignation of the Clerk, the Chief Deputy Clerk, or such other person as the Chief
Judge appoints, will become the Custodian until such time as the next Clerk assumes office.
Transfers of custodianship must include an updated report on recent activities and balance of the
Fund.
E. Duties and Responsibilities of the Custodian
The responsibilities of the Custodian are as follows:
1. To receive, safeguard, deposit, disburse, and account for all funds in accordance
with the law, this Plan, and the policies established by the court;
2. To establish an accounting system for the Fund;
3. To ensure that financial statements and operating reports are prepared in a
timely fashion, at least annually, and to sign these statements and reports;
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4. To sign checks drawn on the Fund;
5. To report on the activities and the balance of the Fund, at least annually, to the
Chief Judge and Advisory Committee, if appointed.
6. To perform such other functions as the court may direct.
F. Protection of the Fund’s Assets
Funds must be segregated from all other monies in the custody of the court and must be
deposited in federally insured banks or savings institutions. When practical and feasible, all
substantial sums should be placed in interest-bearing accounts, government securities, or money
market funds invested in government obligations, at the direction of the Chief Judge or
Advisory Committee.
G. Disbursements from the Fund
Requests for payments from the Fund should be submitted in writing to the Custodian. If
the purpose is authorized under the Plan, the Custodian may approve payments up to $2,000.00
(or such different amount as the Chief Judge may from time to time determine). Any payment
over that amount, or which the Custodian declines to authorize, must be submitted to the Chief
Judge.
H. Audits and Inspections
Funds are subject to audit by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The court
may appoint an outside auditor or disinterested inspector (who may be a government employee)
to conduct such additional audits as the court determines may be necessary or appropriate. The
written results of each such audit or inspection will be provided to the Chief Judge and Advisory
Committee, if appointed. Reasonable compensation may be provided from Fund assets if the
auditor or inspector is not a government employee acting in an official capacity.
Reasonable compensation may be paid from Fund assets if the auditor or inspector is not
a government employee acting in an official capacity. In the event that the court orders the Fund
dissolved, a final audit or inspection will be performed, and a written accounting rendered to the
court.
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I. Dissolution of the Fund
Should the court decide to dissolve the Fund, the Custodian will liquidate all outstanding
obligations prior to the dissolution, including making provision for the payment of any fees and
expenses resulting from the required final audit or inspection. The court will direct the
disposition of the assets of the Fund in ways which fulfill the purpose of the Fund.
J. Effective Date
This Plan is adopted this 23rd day of October 2020 and supersedes all prior versions.
________________________________
RAMONA V. MANGLONA
Chief Judge
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