UNM School of Law Alumna Elected to Second Term as Chief Justice of Guam
March 24, 2026
Chief Justice Katherine A. Maraman is a trailblazing figure in Guam’s legal system and the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of Guam. Maraman first served as Chief Justice from January 2017 to January 2020. In January 2026, she was elected for a second term, succeeding former Chief Justice Robert J. Torres.
Chief Justice Maraman earned a B.A. in Economics, cum laude, from Colorado College before receiving her J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1976. She began her legal career with the Guam Legislature while also practicing privately, and later served as Legal Advisor to the Governor of Guam. She then spent 14 years as a judge on the Superior Court of
Guam before joining the Supreme Court of Guam in 2008, when she was appointed by Governor Felix P. Camacho to fill a vacancy.
In addition to her appointment as Chief Justice, she also serves as a part-time Associate Justice for the Supreme Court of Palau and as Justice Pro Tempore for the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. She chairs the Guam Judicial Council, has served on multiple public boards, and continues to mentor future professionals as an adjunct professor at the University of Guam. Her career reflects decades of leadership and dedication to strengthening judicial systems across Micronesia.
Reflecting on her legal education and career, Chief Justice Maraman shared, “I graduated fifty years ago. Reflecting back, I believe that the professors and my classmates impassioned my commitment to the rule of law. The various positions I have held have led me to appreciate many different aspects of what the rule of law means. For the past 20 years, I have taught a class at the University of Guam. I have tried to impart that passion for upholding the rule of law to all my students.”
