Chief justice announces retirement
WINDOW ROCK
Navajo Supreme Court Chief Justice Herb Yazzie
Herb Yazzie, who has been the Navajo Nation Supreme Court Chief Justice since April 2005, announce Wednesday his retirement.
He said the retirement will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, leaving Eleanor Shirley, an associate justice for the Supreme Court, the only remaining member.
Yazzie has come under fire by members of the Navajo Nation Council since September because of decisions involving the disqualification of Christopher Deschene as a candidate for tribal president because of questions raised about his ability to speak Navajo fluently.
As a result of the controversy, a petition has been circulating demanding his removal as chief justice and a resolution has been filed within the council to formally remove him.
In a statement, Yazzie wrote, “Díné binant’a’íjílį́įgo hanaanish éí t’áá bééhóziní, diné be’iina’ bits’íís yá’at’ééhdoo, bits’íís dóó bintsáhákees k’ézdongo yá’átéeh dooleeł dóó yá’át’éehgo hináa dooleeł jinízin dóó honahat’a’go éí bee bá jizį́į dooleeł….
Saad báádahadzidii, saad doo aaníinii, saad bee ahididláásh doo bee yájíł’da, dóó doo baa yáti’da. Yíiyá bááhádzid! Háálá diné baa hajoobá’í, índa diné éí dílzin dóó baa hą́ą́h hwiindzin. Saad kódaat’éí éí doo bee yájíłti’da háálá hazéé’ hodiyin dóó naat’áanii jílį́įgo éi doo kót’éigo hazaada.
T’ááhó hazaadígíí éí baajisti’, baa jé’jólna dóó hona’nitin át’é áádóó hodine’é dóó ha’áłchíní éí baahasti’ áádóó t’ááhódó’ haahasti’….
Áko, Diné binant’a’í jílį́įgo, hodine’é kót’éígo saad doo aaniinii yee yádaałti’go éí saad yá’ádaat’éehii, Sa’ąh Naaghéí Saad, Bik’ehózhóón Saad, Tsodizin Saad, índa Yoołgaii Saad, Dootł’izhii Saad, Diichiłí Saad dóó Bááshzhiniin Saad ádaa’éí bee bich’į’ yájíłti’go bee bíni’ báninájiishǫǫh dóó bee bá nazh nit’áa dooleeł.”
Díí kót’éigo na’nitinígíí bik’izh diitį́įhgo dóó binahjį’ éí bee naho’ji’áago áko saad doo adaaníinii éí t’áá ałtsxǫ Tádídíín Saad dóó Tó Ałtah Naashchíín bidahtoo’ nídadooleeł.”
Yazzie defended recent court decisions regarding the presidential election, and objected to the “personal attack” against him for those decisions:
“I would say that the recent proposed measure to remove me all concern decisions by the Supreme Court, not actions of an individual. The decisions were based on a thorough analysis of the law and declaration of how the law should be applied. Issuing court decisions that are thoroughly explained are manifestly judicial acts, that is what courts do. Our past governmental leaders have always said that when the Supreme Court makes a decision, that is the final decision. That law must be complied with no matter how some may view me as an individual. Seeking to use personal attack does not nullify the Court’s decision.”
Yazzie’s entire statement can be read here: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/njo1ll
Yazzie has served as the chief justice of the Navajo Nation since April 21, 2005.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow