It has been five years since I've worked on the rez', aside from a special prosecution or two when the Tribe's chief prosecutor had a conflict of interest. I've told many folks the time I spent prosecuting on Standing Rock was the most rewarding of my professional career--not always the most enjoyable--but definitely the most satisfying. Last January, I was informed the Tribe was looking to hire two new justices for the Standing Rock Supreme Court. Knowing that the work was very much part time and would not conflict with my other employment, I submitted my application. In August, I was informed I was one of the new justices. Quite frankly, I was a bit surprised because during my tenure on "The Rock," I had prosecuted so many people, including a few Tribal Council members, that I doubted I would garner the support of enough Council members to get the appointment.
To make matters better, my new compatriot, and Chief Justice, is Brad Peterson. Brad worked for Legal Services and managed their office in Fort Yates while I was prosecuting there. Brad and I butted heads several times as he represented indigent defendants in tribal court. He was always professional, compassionate, and a true advocate for his clients. Just as importantly, he was a straight-shooter. If he said something, you could count on it. I found him reasonable but tough, just what you would expect from a seasoned, capable attorney.
On September 8, Meredith, who now works for Legal Services North Dakota, and is supervised by Brad, and I met Brad for lunch at Prairie Knights Casino, then drove to Fort Yates for our investiture. She took the photos below.
Brad and I taking the oath of office.
Doing the old grip-and-grin with William Zuger, chief judge of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court.
The event was reported on the North Dakota Supreme Court's web site. I'm looking forward to our first session.