One of Samoa's senior lawyers, Leiataualesa Daryl Clarke, is the new judge of the District Court after he was sworn in before the chief justice, Patu Falefatu Sapolu, in a ceremony at the weekend.
He is the seventh local lawyer to be appointed as a full time judge of the court.
Justice Clarke worked in the Attorney General's office as a state lawyer before joining a private law firm.
He was one of the three prominent lawyers who represented a group of people who fought against the government's controversial move to switch from right-hand side driving to left-hand side six years ago.
The court action failed and the road side switch went ahead.