Witten T. Philippo is a Marshallese judge and politician and former

Minister in Assistance to the President of Marshall Islands Minister of Assistance to the President of the Marshall Islands is a member in the cabinet of Marshall Islands. The person is appointed by the President from among the members of the Nitijela. The person acts as a substitute for the President of th ...

. Philippo initially worked as a prosecutor. In 1984 he got

bachelor of laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

from the

University of Papua New Guinea The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) is a university located in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea. It was established by ordinance of the Australian administration in 1965. This followed the Currie Commission which had enquired ...

. He was assistant attorney-general from 1984 to 1988. He was appointed as associate justice in the

High Court of the Marshall Islands The High Court is the second highest court of law in the Marshall Islands Judiciary. The court is established by Article VI, section 3 of the republic's constitution It has appellate jurisdiction over cases originating in the lower courts as well a ...

from 1989 to 1996. He was acting chief justice in 1994 and 1995. Philippo was elected to

Nitijela The Legislature of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Nitijeļā ) has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The last election was November 18, 2019. Elections in the Marshall Islands are officially ...

, and represented

Majuro Atoll Majuro (; Marshallese: ' ) is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands. It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district of the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atol ...

from 1997 to 2008. During this time he was appointed

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...

in about 2007, and also Minister in Assistance to the President of

Kessai Note Kessai Hesa Note (born August 7, 1950 in Ailinglaplap) was President of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008. Elected in 1979 alongside Litokwa Tomeing, Note is one of the two longest-serving members of Nitijeļā. He was the Minister of Inter ...

from February 2004 to March 2006. Philippo was reappointed as associate justice to the

in November 2018. He is expected to retire on 31 January 2030 at the age of 72, which means that he was born in 1958.

References

Living people 1958 births Ministers in Assistance to the President of Marshall Islands Justice ministers of the Marshall Islands Members of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands Marshallese politicians Marshallese judges University of Papua New Guinea alumni {{Marshalls-politician-stub