List of Native American jurists


This is a dynamic list of Native Americans who are or were judges, magistrate judges, court commissioners, administrative law judges or tribal court judges. If known, it will be listed if a judge has served on multiple courts and their tribal membership.
JudgeCourt/agency and years of service State/territoryStatus
Abby Abinanti San Francisco Superior Court ; Yurok Tribal Court Californiaactive-
Dawn Baum Yurok Tribal Court Californiadeceased-
Jessica R. Bear Meskwaki Nation Tribal Court Iowaactive-
Jennifer D. Benally District Court for the Navajo Nation Arizonadeceased-
Robert A. Blaeser Fourth Judicial District-Hennepin County Minnesotaretired-
Evelyne Bradley Kayenta Judicial Court Arizonaactive-
Leo Brisbois United States District Court for the District of Minnesota Minnesotaactive-
Sandy Dexter Brooks Robeson County Superior CourtNorth Carolinadeceased-
Ada E. Brown Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas ; United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas Texasactive-
Michelle Brown-Yazzie Mescalero Apache Tribal Court New Mexicoactive-
Michael Burrage United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma/United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma/United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma Oklahomaresigned-
Brooke Locklear Clark Robeson County District Court North Carolinaactive-
Chantel Cloud Southern Ute Tribal Court Coloradoinactive-
Charles Cloud Norfolk General District CourtVirginiaretired-
Shirley Cogswell Pleasant Point – Passamaquoddy Tribal CourtMainedeceased-
Walter Echo-Hawk Supreme Court of the Pawnee NationOklahomaactive-
Eldena Bear Don’t Walk Chief Justice of the Crow Tribe Montanainactive-
Fred W. Gabourie Los Angeles County Municipal Court Californiaretired-
Carrie Garrow St. Regis Mohawk Tribal CourtNew Yorkactive-
Tina Glory-Jordan Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice Oklahomaactive-
Lydia GriggsbyUnited States Court of Federal Claims ; United States District Court for the District of Maryland Marylandactive-
Keith Harper Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's Appellate Court ; Supreme Court of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Montanainactive-
P.J. Herne St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Court New Yorkinactive-
Sara E. HillUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma Oklahomaactive-
Gilbert Horn Sr. Fort Belknap Tribal Juvenile CourtMontanadeceased-
Diane Humetewa Hopi Appellate Court ; United States District Court for the District of Arizona Arizonaactive-
Joey Jayne Justice of the Peace in Lake and Sanders Counties Montanaresigned-
William Bluehouse Johnson Isleta Pueblo Appellate CourtNew Mexicoactive-
William D. Johnson Umatilla Tribal Court Oregonactive-
B.J. JonesChief Judge of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Court, Chief Judge of the Prairie Island Indian Community Court, Chief Justice of the Turtle Mountain Tribal Court of Appeals, Special Magistrate of the Non-Removable Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Tribal Court, Associate Judge for the Fort Berthold District Court, Associate Judge for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court, Associate Justice for the Oglala Sioux Tribal Court and the Flandreau-Santee Sioux Tribal Courts, Deputy Judge for the Leech Lake Band of OjibweNorth Dakotainactive-
Lauren J. King Northwest Intertribal Court System ; United States District Court for the Western District of Washington Washingtonactive-
Gary Larance Bishop Paiute Tribe Court Californiaactive-
Stacy Leeds Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice Oklahomaretired-
Ira Left Hand Sr. Tribal Court of the Crow Indian Reservation Montanadeceased-
Patricia Lenzi Court of Appeals, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Californiaactive-
Brad Letts North Carolina 30th Judicial District Court North Carolinaretired-
Gilbert M. LopezLos Angeles County Superior Court Californiaretired-
Phil Lujan Citizen Potawatomi Nation JudgeOklahomaactive-
Merwin Lynch Puerco District of Apache County ; Navajo Nation Supreme CourtArizonadeceased-
Kelly K.E. Mahoney United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa Iowaactive-
Allie Greenleaf Maldonado Michigan Court of Appeals Michiganactive-
John Manydeeds Eau Claire County Court Wisconsinactive-
Joshua D. Malcolm Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina North Carolinaactive-
John Martin Supreme Court of the Cherokee Nation Tennesseedeceased-
Lacy Maynor Maxton Recorder's Court North Carolinadeceased-
Angelica Chavis McIntyre Robeson County District Court North Carolinaactive-
Anne McKeig Minnesota Fourth District Court ; Minnesota Supreme Court Minnesotaactive-
Robert Medina Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court & Justice; Southwest Intertribal Court of AppealsNew Mexicoactive-
Arvo Mikkanen Court of Indian Offenses for the Anadarko Area Tribes ; Supreme Court of the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes.Oklahomainactive-
Andrea Miller12th Judicial District Court Nebraskaactive-
Mark A. Montour New York State Supreme Court New Yorkactive-
Raquel Montoya-Lewis Whatcom County Superior Court ; Washington Supreme Court Washingtonactive-
Debra O’Gara Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Tribal Court Alaskaactive-
Richard Osburn Mille Lacs Band Tribal Court Minnesotainactive-
Patricia Paul Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal CourtOregonactive-
Mary Peltola Orutsararmiut Native Council Tribal Court Alaskaretired-
James Phillips Grays Harbor County Superior Court Washingtondeceased-
Joseph Plumer Meskwaki Nation Tribal Court Iowaactive-
David Raasch Stockbridge Munsee Tribal Court Wisconsininactive-
Angela R. Riley Citizen Potawatomi Nation Supreme Court Oklahomaactive-
Cecilia M. Romero United States District Court for the District of Utah Utahactive-
Dustin Rowe Chickasaw Nation District Court ; Oklahoma Supreme Court Oklahomaactive-
Steve Russell Austin Municipal Court ; Travis County Court of Law No. 2 Texasretired-
Deborah L. Sanchez Los Angeles County Superior Court Californiaactive-
Frank Howell Seay United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma Oklahomainactive-
Debra Shopteese Massachusetts State District Court Massachusettsactive-
Barbara Smith District Court Judge for the Chickasaw Nation; Supreme Court of the Chickasaw NationOklahomadeceased-
Terri Smith Wind River Indian Reservation Tribal CourtWyomingresigned-
George W. Soule White Earth Band of Ojibwe and Prairie Island Indian Community Court of AppealsMinnesotaactive-
Melvin R. Stoof Pascua Yaqui Trial Court Arizonaactive-
Sunshine Sykes Riverside County Superior Court ; United States District Court for the Central District of California Californiaactive-
William A. Thorne, Jr. Utah Court of Appeals Utahretired-
Jill E. Tompkins Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Court of Appeals Maineactive-
Margaret Seelye Treuer Bois Forte Tribal Court; Leach Lake Tribal Court; United States District Court of Minnesota Minnesotadeceased-
Rebecca Tsosie San Carlos Apache Court of Appeals ; Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Supreme Court Arizonaactive-
Carol Jean Vigil New Mexico 1st Judicial District Judge New Mexicodeceased-
Philip Viles Supreme Court of the Cherokee Nation ; Supreme Court of Georgia Oklahomaretired-
Korey Wahwassuck Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Court; Minnesota Ninth Judicial DistrictMinnesotaactive-
Sarah Wheelock Minnesota Court of Appeals Minnesotaactive-
Claudette C. White San Manuel Tribal Court Californiadeceased-
Ronald J. Whitener New Mexico Second Judicial District Court New Mexicoactive-
Joseph J. WisemanNorthern California Intertribal Court; Court of Appeals, Round Valley Indian TribesCaliforniaactive-

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