Location
Post Office Box 23
Pago Pago , American Samoa 96799
We are the licensing body and the official bar association for all of those who practice law in American Samoa. The American Samoa Bar Association serves to promote justice, the rule of law, and the interests of the legal system. We do this through public education, legislative review, promoting the judiciary, and advocating the rule of law. We also offer a legal scholarship to a student that shows exemplary academics and a desire to promote the rule of law in American Samoa.
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Resources
Displaying 11 - 15 of 21Alienation of Land – Property (Chapter 02 of Title 37).
This Chapter provides in respect of certain matters relative to the sale, gift, exchange, or any other method of disposal of land. There is created a Land Commission which shall endeavour to prevent the monopolistic ownership of land and undesired alienations of communal lands by those charged with the management and control thereof. For this purpose the Commission shall make recommendations to the Governor respecting the approval or disapproval of instruments affecting the title, ownership or possession of land which require approval of the Governor pursuant to section 4.
Mortgages – Property (Chapter 10 of Title 37).
The Provisions of this Chapter regulate certain aspects of the creation and enforceability of mortgages on real property or fixtures. Every transfer of an interest in real property or fixtures made as security for the performance of another act or subject to defeasance upon the payment of an obligation, whether the transfer is made in trust or otherwise, is to be considered a mortgage and shall create a lien only as security for the obligation and shall not be deemed to pass title.
Titles to Land – Property (Chapter 01 of Title 37).
This Chapter provides for certain matters relating to title in land. The owner of any land in American Samoa, not previously registered, may register his or her title thereto with the Territorial Registrar, but no title shall be registered unless the Registrar is satisfied that there is no conflicting claim thereto and unless the description clearly identifies the boundaries of the land. Every registration shall specify whether the land is registered as family owned communal land or individually owned land.
Interstate Succession - Estates and Fiduciary Relations (Chapter 02 of Title 40).
This Chapter provides for certain aspects of inheritance of real property. When any person having any title to any real property dies without disposing of such real property by will, it shall be succeeded to and must be distributed, subject to the payment of debts and the rights of dower, in the manner as set out in section 2. If there is no one capable of succeeding to either real or personal property, the real and personal property of the decedent shall escheat to the government as the ultimate heir.
Escheat of Personal Property - Estates and Fiduciary Relations (Chapter 05 of Title 40).
If any person, who, at the time of his death, is the owner of any personal property in this Territory, and died, intestate, without heirs or known kindred, capable of inheriting the same, and without leaving a surviving spouse, such personal property, shall escheat to the Territory. If any person, who, at the time of his death, is the owner of any personal property in this Territory, and died, intestate, without heirs or known kindred, capable of inheriting the same, and without leaving a surviving spouse, such personal property, shall escheat to the Territory.