FSM Supreme Court begins operations under first Chief Justice Edward C. King.

What happened

The national Supreme Court is the judicial branch the 1979 constitution created. Its first chief justice, Edward C. King, was an American who said at his 1980 confirmation that he would serve until a Micronesian could take over. The court opened on 12 July, the same date the Congress of Micronesia first met in 1965 and the Constitutional Convention opened in 1975.

Why it matters

Since 1997, 12 July has been marked as Micronesian Law Day.