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 (if known)State/territoryStatusAbby Abinanti (Yurok)San Francisco Superior Court (Commissioner: –2011; 2014–2015); Yurok Tribal Court (1997–present; Chief Judge: 2007–present)CaliforniaactiveDawn Baum (Menominee)Yurok Tribal Court (appt. 2017-2023)CaliforniadeceasedJessica R. Bear (Meshwaki Nation)Meskwaki Nation Tribal Court (2007–2013; Chief Judge: 2013–present)IowaactiveJennifer D. Benally (Navajo)District Court for the Navajo Nation (1984–1995)ArizonadeceasedRobert A. Blaeser (Anishinaabe)Fourth Judicial District-Hennepin County (1995–2012)MinnesotaretiredEvelyne Bradley (Navajo)Kayenta Judicial Court (1998–2014)ArizonaactiveLeo Brisbois (White Earth Band of Ojibwe)United States District Court for the District of Minnesota (Magistrate Judge) (2010–present)MinnesotaactiveSandy Dexter Brooks (Lumbee)Robeson County Superior CourtNorth CarolinadeceasedAda E. Brown (Choctaw Nation)Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas (2013–2019); United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (2019–present)TexasactiveMichelle Brown-Yazzie (Navajo Nation)Mescalero Apache Tribal Court (2011–present; Brown-Yazzie has served as a Chief Judge)New MexicoactiveMichael Burrage (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)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 (1994–2001; Chief Judge: 1996–2001)OklahomaresignedBrooke Locklear Clark (Lumbee)Robeson County District Court (2018–present)North CarolinaactiveChantel Cloud (Southern Ute)Southern Ute Tribal Court (2013–2018)ColoradoinactiveCharles Cloud (Cherokee Nation)Norfolk General District CourtVirginiaretiredShirley Cogswell (Passamaquoddy)Pleasant Point – Passamaquoddy Tribal CourtMainedeceasedWalter Echo-Hawk (Pawnee)Supreme Court of the Pawnee NationOklahomaactiveEldena Bear Don’t Walk (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes)Chief Justice of the Crow Tribe (2007–2011)MontanainactiveFred W. Gabourie (Seneca people)Los Angeles County Municipal Court (appointed 1976)CaliforniaretiredCarrie Garrow (Akwesasne)St. Regis Mohawk Tribal CourtNew YorkactiveTina Glory-Jordan (Cherokee)Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice (2023–present)OklahomaactiveLydia GriggsbyUnited States Court of Federal Claims (2014–2021); United States District Court for the District of Maryland (2021–present)MarylandactiveKeith Harper (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's Appellate Court (2001–2007); Supreme Court of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (2007–2008)MontanainactiveP.J. Herne (Akwesasne)St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Court (Chief Judge: appt. 2008)New YorkinactiveSara E. HillUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2023–present)OklahomaactiveGilbert Horn Sr. (Assiniboine)Fort Belknap Tribal Juvenile CourtMontanadeceasedDiane Humetewa (Hopi)Hopi Appellate Court (2002–2007); United States District Court for the District of Arizona (2014–present)ArizonaactiveJoey Jayne (Navajo)Justice of the Peace in Lake and Sanders Counties (2012–2014)MontanaresignedWilliam Bluehouse Johnson (Pueblo of Isleta)Isleta Pueblo Appellate CourtNew MexicoactiveWilliam D. Johnson (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation)Umatilla Tribal Court (1980–present; Chief Judge: 1988–present)OregonactiveB.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 DakotainactiveLauren J. King (Muscogee (Creek) Nation)Northwest Intertribal Court System (2013–2021); United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (2021–present)WashingtonactiveGary Larance (Hopi)Bishop Paiute Tribe Court (2020–present)CaliforniaactiveStacy Leeds (Cherokee)Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice (2002–2006)OklahomaretiredIra Left Hand Sr. (Crow)Tribal Court of the Crow Indian Reservation (c. 1980)MontanadeceasedPatricia Lenzi (St. Regis Mohawk Tribe)Court of Appeals, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (2012– ; Chief Judge: 2020)CaliforniaactiveBrad Letts (Cherokee)North Carolina 30th Judicial District Court (2000–2019)North CarolinaretiredGilbert M. LopezLos Angeles County Superior Court (2001–2020)CaliforniaretiredPhil Lujan (Kiowa)Citizen Potawatomi Nation JudgeOklahomaactiveMerwin Lynch (Navajo)Puerco District of Apache County (Justice of the Peace); Navajo Nation Supreme CourtArizonadeceasedKelly K.E. Mahoney (Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma)United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa (2016–present)IowaactiveAllie Greenleaf Maldonado (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians)Michigan Court of Appeals (2023–present)MichiganactiveJohn Manydeeds (Standing Rock Sioux)According to various sources, Manydeeds was considered the first Native American judge in Wisconsin upon his appointment to the bench.Eau Claire County Court (2016–present)WisconsinactiveJoshua D. Malcolm (Lumbee)Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina (2017–present)North Carolina activeJohn Martin (Cherokee)Supreme Court of the Cherokee Nation (c. 1820s)TennesseedeceasedLacy Maynor (Lumbee)Maxton Recorder's Court (c. 1950s)North CarolinadeceasedAngelica Chavis McIntyre (Lumbee)Robeson County District Court (2018–present)North CarolinaactiveAnne McKeig (White Earth Band of Ojibwe)Minnesota Fourth District Court (2008–2016); Minnesota Supreme Court (2016–present)MinnesotaactiveRobert Medina (Zia Pueblo)Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court & Justice; Southwest Intertribal Court of AppealsNew MexicoactiveArvo Mikkanen (Comanche/Kiowa)Court of Indian Offenses for the Anadarko Area Tribes (1988–1994); Supreme Court of the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes (1991–1994).OklahomainactiveAndrea Miller12th Judicial District Court (2017– )NebraskaactiveMark A. Montour (St. Regis Mohawk)New York State Supreme Court (2013–present)New YorkactiveRaquel Montoya-Lewis (Pueblo of Laguna)Whatcom County Superior Court (2015–2020); Washington Supreme Court (2020–present)WashingtonactiveDebra O’Gara (Tlingit)Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA) Tribal Court (2007–present)AlaskaactiveRichard Osburn (Cherokee Nation)Mille Lacs Band Tribal Court (2008–2014)MinnesotainactivePatricia Paul (Iñupiat)Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal CourtOregonactiveMary Peltola (Yup'ik)Orutsararmiut Native Council Tribal Court (2020–2021)AlaskaretiredJames Phillips (Cherokee)Grays Harbor County Superior Court (1929–1950)WashingtondeceasedJoseph Plumer (Leech Lake Band of Chippewa Indians)Meskwaki Nation Tribal Court (2005–present; Plumer has served as a Chief Judge)IowaactiveDavid Raasch (Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians)Stockbridge Munsee Tribal Court (elected in 2009)WisconsininactiveAngela R. Riley (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)Citizen Potawatomi Nation Supreme Court (2003–2010; Chief Justice: 2010–present)OklahomaactiveCecilia M. Romero (Saginaw Chippewa)United States District Court for the District of Utah (Magistrate Judge: 2019–present)UtahactiveDustin Rowe (Chickasaw)Chickasaw Nation District Court (2005–2019); Oklahoma Supreme Court (2019–present)OklahomaactiveSteve Russell (Cherokee)Austin Municipal Court (1978–1982); Travis County Court of Law No. 2 (1982–1995)TexasretiredDeborah L. Sanchez (Chumash)Los Angeles County Superior Court (2006–present)CaliforniaactiveFrank Howell Seay (Cherokee)United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma (1979–present)OklahomainactiveDebra Shopteese (Sac and Fox Nation)According to various sources, Shopteese is the first Native American (female) judge in Massachusetts.Massachusetts State District Court (2011–present)MassachusettsactiveBarbara Smith (Chickasaw Nation)District Court Judge for the Chickasaw Nation; Supreme Court of the Chickasaw NationOklahomadeceasedTerri Smith (Northern Arapaho Tribe)Wind River Indian Reservation Tribal CourtWyomingresignedGeorge W. Soule (White Earth Nation)White Earth Band of Ojibwe and Prairie Island Indian Community Court of AppealsMinnesotaactiveMelvin R. Stoof (Rosebud Sioux Tribe)Pascua Yaqui Trial Court (2004–present)ArizonaactiveSunshine Sykes (Navajo)Riverside County Superior Court (2013–2022); United States District Court for the Central District of California (2022– )CaliforniaactiveWilliam A. Thorne, Jr. (Pomo)Utah Court of Appeals (1986–2013)UtahretiredJill E. Tompkins (Penobscot)Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Court of Appeals (2002)MaineactiveMargaret Seelye Treuer (Ojibwe)Bois Forte Tribal Court; Leach Lake Tribal Court; United States District Court of Minnesota (U.S. Magistrate)MinnesotadeceasedRebecca Tsosie (Yaqui)San Carlos Apache Court of Appeals (2007–2024); Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Supreme Court (2008–present)ArizonaactiveCarol Jean Vigil (Pueblo)New Mexico 1st Judicial District Judge (1998–2005)New MexicodeceasedPhilip Viles (Cherokee)Supreme Court of the Cherokee Nation (1976–2002; Viles served as Chief Justice during his tenure); Supreme Court of Georgia (Sitting judge: 1993)OklahomaretiredKorey Wahwassuck (Cree)Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Court; Minnesota Ninth Judicial DistrictMinnesotaactiveSarah Wheelock (Meskwaki)Minnesota Court of Appeals (2021– )MinnesotaactiveClaudette C. White (Quechan Indian Tribe)San Manuel Tribal Court (Chief Judge: 2018–2021)CaliforniadeceasedRonald J. Whitener (Squaxin Island Tribe)Northwest Intertribal Court of Appeals; Chehalis Tribal Court of Appeals; Upper Skagit Tribal Court of AppealsWashingtonactiveSamuel Winder (Southern Ute)New Mexico Second Judicial District Court (2011–present)New MexicoactiveJoseph J. WisemanNorthern California Intertribal Court; Court of Appeals, Round Valley Indian TribesCaliforniaactive

Other topics of interest

List of African-American jurists List of Asian American jurists List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists List of Jewish American jurists List of LGBT jurists in the United States List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States

References