Eight Navajo Nation Bar Association members sworn in
Special guest is Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Dorothy W. Nelson
WINDOW ROCK -- Before proud and beaming friends and family members who packed the Navajo Nation Supreme Court on Friday, Supreme Court Associate Justice Lorene B. Ferguson administered the oath to allow eight new members of the Navajo Nation Bar Association to practice law in the Navajo courts.
Making history by witnessing the swearing-in was Senior Judge Dorothy W. Nelson, a member of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and her husband, Judge James L. Nelson, who were visiting the Navajo Nation from California.
Those taking their oath were Robyn L. Interpreter, Edward Peace, Peggy A. Whitmore, Rose Reilly, Stephen A. Taylor, Kellie Dolan, Alison L. Rosner and Javier Garcia Ramos, an attorney with the Navajo Nation Washington Office.
Also attending was Justice Geraldine Benally.
Following the oath, Navajo Nation Bar Association President Donovan Brown asked Justice Ferguson to address the new members with some personal thoughts.
She told them one of the most important aspects of understanding Navajo common law was the concept of ke1, which she said involves respect.
Justice Ferguson said that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has written that even though the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court don't always agree with one another, they remain friends.
"That's kŽ," Justice Ferguson said.
She said the basis of Navajo common law was respect for one another.
"The Navajo people are a very proud people," she said. "Despite everything that's happened, we1re a nation and we're still here."
She said when a people do not take care of such a uniqueness as Navajos possess, it goes away, disappearing forever.
She said she believed the new members of the Navajo bar realized they were about to participate in something important, that being a unique court system that involved Navajo laws, customs, treaties and tribal sovereignty.
Justice Benally added that the importance of public service cannot be over-emphasized.
"It's very important that we all work together to preserve the culture," she said.
Judge Nelson said it was an unexpected honor to be able to attend today's swearing-in and to see old acquaintances she hadn1t expected to see.
She said the wonderful aspect of the Navajo courts is that it seeks first to resolves problems rather than determine winners and losers.
"We need your help in humanizing our system," she said. "What's the word for respect, kŽ? I have respect for the Navajo court."
(George Hardeen is Navajo Nation Communications Director.)
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