The District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands was established by an act of Congress in 1977 and became operational in January, 1978. It sits on the island of Saipan, in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, but may also sit at other places within the Commonwealth. The District Court has the same jurisdiction to hear federal cases as United States District Courts, including bankruptcy cases. Appeals are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Judges of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands are appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate, to ten-year terms or until a successor is chosen and qualified. The first District Court judge was the Honorable Alfred Laureta, who served from 1978 until 1988. His successor, the Honorable Alex R. Munson, was nominated by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the Senate in 1988. Judge Munson was nominated for a second ten-year term by President William J. Clinton and was confirmed by the Senate in 1998. In February, 2010, Judge Munson retired from the bench after twenty-eight years of service in the legal community, including his service as Chief Justice of the High Court of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1982 to 1988.

On January 26, 2011, President Barack Obama nominated the Honorable Ramona Villagomez Manglona. Judge Manglona’s nomination was confirmed by the Senate on July 27, 2011. On July 29, 2011, President Obama signed the commission, which was the official act of appointment of Judge Manglona to the District Court. Judge Manglona assumed office as Chief Judge on July 30, 2011. Chief Judge Manglona is the first person from the Northern Mariana Islands to serve as a federal judge.

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