About NAAG
Fepulea'i A. "Afa" Ripley, Jr. (D)
American Samoa Attorney General
Appointed: 2007
American Samoa Gov't, Exec. Ofc. Bldg, Utulei, Territory of American Samoa, Pago Pago, AS 96799
(684) 633-4163
http://americansamoa.gov/departments/depts/legal.htm
Arthur Ripley Jr. was born in the village of Leone, United States Territory of American Samoa on 20 January 1949. After graduating from the High School of American Samoa in 1967, he attended the Kansas State Teachers College in the town of Emporia, State of Kansas (USA) on scholarship. He graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business administration in 1972 and 1973 respectfully.
Upon graduating from college, he returned home to American Samoa and worked for two years with the government’s treasury department. He married Marie Vaelua Tauanu’u in 1975, and the newly-weds moved to San Diego, State of California (USA), where he was accepted to study law at the California Western School of Law in San Diego. In May 1978, he graduated from California Western School of Law with the degree of Juris Doctor.
In September 1978, he passed the Hawaii State bar examinations and was then licensed to practice law in the state and U.S. federal courts of the State of Hawaii. He worked briefly as an assistant attorney general for the Hawaii State government in 1978; as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Cit and County of Honolulu 1978-80; and as a deputy corporation counsel for the City and County of Honolulu 1980-81. In 1982, he opened a private law practice with a friend and colleague, Reginald Piljuhn Minn, specializing in criminal defense, immigration and personal injury law.
In January 1989, he and his spouse returned home to American Samoa due to the health of their parents. He worked as an assistant attorney general in the Office of the Attorney General 1989-92; as an assistant legislative counsel at the Legislature of American Samoa 1993-2004. He also maintained a private law practice from 1993-2007, specializing in native lands and chief titles.
Upon his father’s passing in 1996, he was bestowed with the high chief title of FEPULEA’I by the members of his Samoan extended family. He is currently the senior chief/head of his extended family.
In March 2007, the then appointed Attorney General of American Samoa died due to illness. Consequently, on April 16, 2007, he was appointed by the Governor, and confirmed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Legislature, as the successor and current Attorney General of the United States Territory of American Samoa.
