The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Oceania
Judicial branch Samoa, in 36 editions.
The entry for Samoa published Judicial branch in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 11 editions. Each is shown as published. Judicial branch in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 11
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Judicial branch” (1990 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024Entry published as “Western Samoa”.
- Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963);
- Head of Government--Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988)
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963); Head of Government--Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988)
Entry published as “Western Samoa”.
- Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963);
- Head of Government--Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988) Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti, chairman;
- Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), VA'AI Kolone, chairman
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963); Head of Government--Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988) Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), VA'AI Kolone, chairman
The same text in 4 editions, 1992 to 1995.
Entry published as “Western Samoa”.
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
Rewritten: too little of the 1991 text remains to mark the changes.
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
The same text in 1996 and 1997.
Entry published as “Western Samoa”.
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Supreme Court, Court; Court of Appeal
The same text in 5 editions, 1998 to 2002.
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
The same text in 2003 and 2004.
- Supreme Court;
- Court of Appeal;
- Land and Titles Court
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Appeal; Land and Titles Court
The same text in 7 editions, 2005 to 2011.
- Court of Appeal;
- Supreme Court;
- District Court;
- Land and Titles Court
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court
- Supreme Court;
- Court of Appeal;
- District Court;
- Land and Titles Court
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court
The same text in 2013 and 2014.
- highest court(s):
- Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year);
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- chief justice appointed by the head of state upon the advice of the prime minister;
- other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice;
- judges normally appointed until retirement at age 68
- subordinate courts:
- District Court;
- Magistrates' Courts;
- Land and Titles Courts;
- village fono or village chief councils
Rewritten: too little of the 2012 text remains to mark the changes.
highest court(s):
Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
judge selection and term of office:
chief justice appointed by the head of state upon the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally appointed until retirement at age 68
subordinate courts:
District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village fono or village chief councils
The same text in 3 editions, 2015 to 2017.
- highest court(s):
- Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year);
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- chief justice appointed by the head of state upon the advice of the prime minister;
- other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice;
- judges normally appointed until retirement at age 68
- subordinate courts:
- District Court;
- Magistrates' Courts;
- Land and Titles Courts;
- village fono or village chief councils
highest court(s):
judge selection and term of office:
subordinate courts:
The same text in 4 editions, 2018 to 2021.
- highest courts:
- Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year);
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- chief justice appointed by the chief of state upon the advice of the prime minister;
- other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice;
- judges normally serve until retirement at age 68
- subordinate courts:
- District Court;
- Magistrates' Courts;
- Land and Titles Courts;
- village fono or village chief councils
highest court(s): courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the head chief of state upon the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally appointed serve until retirement at age 68
subordinate courts: District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village fono or village chief councils
The same text in 3 editions, 2022 to 2024.
- highest court(s):
- Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year);
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- chief justice appointed by the chief of state upon the advice of the prime minister;
- other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice;
- judges normally serve until retirement at age 68
- subordinate courts:
- District Court;
- Magistrates' Courts;
- Land and Titles Courts;
- village fono or village chief councils
highest courts: court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the chief of state upon the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally serve until retirement at age 68
subordinate courts: District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village fono or village chief councils
- highest court(s):
- Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year);
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- chief justice appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister;
- other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice;
- judges normally serve until retirement at age 68
- subordinate courts:
- District Court;
- Magistrates' Courts;
- Land and Titles Courts;
- village chief councils
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the chief of state upon on the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally serve until retirement at age 68
subordinate courts: District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village fono or village chief councils
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Samoa: Judicial branch.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/samoa/judicial-branch.