Two of the 12 charges filed in the Northern Marianas against a former attorney general Edward Buckingham have been dismissed.
The Superior Court Associate Judge, Kenneth Govendo, has acceded to a request by the Office of the Public Auditor to have them dropped.
The two charges have been dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be re-opened.
They pertain to misconduct in public office and were related to a contract.
The judge set for Tuesday a hearing on Mr Buckingham's motion to dismiss the remaining ten charges and a motion to suppress fruits of a search.
Edward Buckingham faces charges relating to an alleged violation of election laws and illegal awards of a sole-source contract.