The national trial court, with justices sitting in Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae. Its jurisdiction is defined by national law, so land, inheritance and most local matters fall outside it and belong to the state courts — the single most important division to grasp about Micronesian litigation, since a claim filed in the wrong system fails on jurisdiction rather than merits.
How the court is constituted
- Tier
- first instance
- Court type
- National superior court of first instance
- Jurisdiction
- National-law matters: constitutional questions, admiralty and maritime, disputes between states or between a state and the national government, diversity cases, and national offences.
- Seat
- Palikir, Pohnpei
- Established
- 1981
- Composition
- Justices of the FSM Supreme Court sitting alone as trial justices.
- Appointment
- Appointed by the President with the advice and consent of Congress.
- Languages
- English
Where an appeal goes next
Appeal to the Appellate Division of the FSM Supreme Court.
Filing at this court
- Civil claim
- Limitation periods set by title 6 of the FSM Code
- Jurisdiction
- Must fall within national jurisdiction; land matters belong to the state courts
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