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Save Liuato Tuitele confirmed as new High Court Associate Judge
The Governor’s appointment of High Chief Save Liuato Tuitele of Leone as an Associate Judge in the High Court of American Samoa was approved by the Senate with a 16-1 vote.
Save, a retired Chief Warrant Officer (CW-5) in the US Army, will replace former Associate Judge Sagapolutele Malaeola who passed away last year.
The confirmation hearing was attended by over a dozen family members and supporters, including Save’s wife Sarah who filled the Senate gallery to witness the confirmation.
During a the hearing, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Tuaolo Vaivao Manaia explained that he and a Fono attorney reviewed the current statute which he said does not clearly state that an associate judge must be a matai title holder, or that each district should be represented on the bench.
Tuaolo’s explanation was in response to inquiries from some senators who raised concerns about having another associate judge from Leone serving on the bench, as there is already a sitting associate judge from the same village.
Tualauta Senator Auaumamana Foe’ese said he believed someone from Tualauta should be appointed to fill the job.
Save told Senators that if confirmed, he would dismiss himself from any cases that may involve a personal conflict of interest, including ranking chiefly titles from Leone, as well as cases that may involve family members.
Save vowed to perform his duties to the utmost of his abilities, saying that he will depend on God to guide him in carrying out his new responsibilities.
Save is a 1965 graduate of Samoana High School who holds an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Hawaii-Hilo; a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management from Chaminade University, Hawaii; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from McKendree College, Illinois.
He served over 30 years in the US Army as a special agent in the Criminal Investigative Division. Save began his law enforcement career in 1968 as a police officer on the local force where he started as a traffic investigator and then later became a detective in the CID.
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