Three people apply for chief justice position
WINDOW ROCK
The Navajo Supreme Court has received three applications by the July 31 deadline from people who want to be the Navajo Nation’s next chief justice.
Karen Francis, public information officer for the Judicial Branch, said the Law and Order Committee of the Navajo Nation Council may review the applicants at its next meeting, which is scheduled for Monday in Tuba City.
While none of the names of the applicants have been released, Francis said none of them are currently judges in the tribal court system.
The supreme court has been without a chief justice since April when Herb Yazzie stepped down in the midst of a controversy over recent supreme court decisions involving the disqualification of Chris Deschene as a candidate for Navajo Nation president and the holding of a referendum on the Navajo fluency issue.
District Judge from Tuba City Allen Sloan has been named acting chief justice, and the court is continuing to hear cases. On Tuesday, the court has scheduled oral arguments to hear a sexual harassment case involving an official within the Chinle Police District.
It’s not certain at this time what action the Law and Order Committee members will take on Monday if the item comes up.
They could agree to start vetting the three candidates who have already applied or they could decide to extend the deadline for people to submit applications in the hopes of getting more candidates for the position.
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