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Navajo Supreme Court Chief Justice Must Now Have Law Degree
Laurel Morales
The Navajo president's office in Window Rock, Ariz.
For years, the chief justice of the Navajo Supreme Court was not required to have a law degree. That changed this week when the tribe’s president approved a bill to raise the standard.
Navajo President Russell Begaye said in a statement the bill helps the tribe fulfill federal requirements so it may prosecute non-Nativesfor crimes committed on tribal land.
Tribal Council delegate Dwight Witherspoon sponsored the bill. He said the tribe’s justices are very familiar with Diné fundamental law, family law and restorative justice practices.
“But certainly there’s a need for exposure to other types of law such as corporate law, intellectual property law, even international law to assist as the nation is certainly going to be involved as a more global entity,” Witherspoon said.
The new requirement will apply to the next chief justice appointed to the position. Judges at the district level are still not required to have law degrees.
