Open for Family Cases

The Marianas Office of Micronesian Legal Services Corp. is open this week (May 7 through May 10, 20120) for intakes for applications in family cases (including divorce, child support, custody, guardianship, adoption, name change, etc.) . Those who wish to seek MLSC help may come into the Marianas Office any time from 8 AM to noon, 1 PM to 4:30 PM Monday through Thursday. 

Applicants for help should be prepared to identify all members of their household, show income and assets for each household member, and provide any relevant documentation related to the request for legal help.

For more information, telephone the Marianas Office at (670) 234-6243.

MLSC Board Meets and Treats

The Board of Directors of Micronesian Legal Services Corporation is on Saipan for its biannual meeting. The Honorable Jesus S. (Jesse) Borja gave opening remarks. Jesse worked for MLSC as an intern, as a lawyer, as Deputy Director, and then served on its Board of Directors. He is a former Associate Justice of the CNMI Supreme Court and former CNMI Lieutenant Governor. Now he acts as legal counsel to the Northern Marianas College.



(Back row L to R: Chang William (Kosrae); Danny Ongelungel (Palau); Arno Kony (Chuuk); Michael Ga'an (Yap); Lucia Blanco-Maratita (CNMI). Front row: Jesus S. Borja-guest speaker; Robert Ruecho (Guam); Branson Wase (Marshall Islands).


Some members of the Marianas Office, along with acting Executive Director Benjamin Weber, joined the meeting in the morning.

L-R (front): Jesus S. Borja, Robert Ruecho, Branson Wase; (back): Maria P. Muna, Jane Mack, Chang William, Lolita Nazaire, Arno Kony, Danny Ongelungel; Michael Ga'an, Lucia Blanco-Maratita, Dimitri Varmazis, Acting MLSC Executive Director Benjamin Weber


The Marianas Office staff joined the Board for a luncheon, at which the Board presented Maria Palacios Muna with a plaque for her 40 years of service to MLSC! Maria is a paralegal in the Marianas Office and has been with MLSC since its first year of operations!



We at the Marianas Office are privileged to work with Maria and we joined in the contratulations and thanks for her service.

(L to R: Marianas staff Jane Mack, Lolita Nazaire, Frank Rogopes, Polly Anne Sablan, Maria P. Muna, Dimitri Varmazis, Juanette Sablan, and Marianas Board member Lucia Blanco-Maratita)

Humble as always, Maria expressed surprise at the honor.

Parole-In-Place --US Immediate Relatives--Workshop Video Part 4

Parole-In-Place --US Immediate Relatives--Workshop Video Part 3

Parole-In-Place --US Immediate Relatives--Workshop Video Part 2

Parole-In-Place --US Immediate Relatives--Workshop Video Part 1

Since we conducted this workshop we have heard two things of importance:

1. USCIS is not likely to grant parole-in-place to immediate relatives of US citizens unless the I-130 (or I-360 for abuse victims and widows/widowers) has been filed. Note, however, USCIS continues to be sympathetic to specific cases where extreme hardship exists caused by medical issues (handicapped or disabled individuals, special needs children).

2. If USCIS denies the parole-in-place application, it is likely to turn over the name and information about the foreign national to ICE. This means that removal proceedings will likely be filed against you more promptly than if you did not file the parole-in-place application.

Just a caution.

Final Parole-in-Place Workshop

MLSC will host its final Parole-in-Place workshop.  This one is ONLY FOR CNMI Permanent residents (under the old CNMI law) and THEIR immediate relatives, and for those born here of foreign national parents between January 1, 1974 and January 9, 1978.

Workshop starts at 1 PM at American Memorial Park.