In Re the Estate of Edives S. Imamura,heirs of Jack Imamura and Maria Manglona Ohgushi, Appellants, v. Antonio S. Imamura, Appellee, 145 F.3d 1338 (9th Cir. 1998)

MEMORANDUM^* 

Normally, we limit our review of CNMI cases to those where the federal issues were adequately raised below. Santos v. Nansay Micronesia, Inc., 76 F.3d 299, 301 (9th Cir. 1996). Here, appellants argue that the CNMI Supreme Court's decision preventing them from inheriting any interest in the land violates their Fourteenth Amendment rights to due process and equal protection, as well as section 805 of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America.

Appellants could have argued to the CNMI Supreme Court that the CNMI Superior Court's decision preventing them from inheriting any interest in the land violated those same federal rights. A review of appellants' briefing to the CNMI Supreme Court indicates that appellants raised no federal issues. The CNMI Supreme Court's majority opinion did not discuss any federal issues and decided the case exclusively with CNMI law.

"We do not reach purported federal questions neither raised nor decided by the CNMI Supreme Court." Id. Accordingly, we lack jurisdiction to review the judgment Id. at 302.

APPEAL DISMISSED.