{"id":22520,"date":"2025-04-24T19:18:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T19:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/first-native-american-judge-in-11th-district-is-sworn-in\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:14:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:14:12","slug":"first-native-american-judge-in-11th-district-is-sworn-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/first-native-american-judge-in-11th-district-is-sworn-in\/","title":{"rendered":"First Native American judge in 11th District is sworn in"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Brenna
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok prepares to take her investiture oath. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

An overflow crowd gathered in San Juan County Commission chambers on Friday to witness history as Brenna Clani-Washinawatok, a Navajo Nation member and standout legal professional, was sworn in as the 11th Judicial District\u2019s first Native American district judge.<\/p>\n

She will serve San Juan and McKinley counties.<\/p>\n

Washinawatok has served as a child support hearing officer, domestic violence commissioner and domestic relations hearing officer for the district court since 2022. She was appointed to the bench by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to succeed retired District Judge Daylene Marsh.<\/p>\n

Born in Shiprock and a graduate of Gallup High School, Washinawatok earned a bachelor\u2019s degree from Stanford University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2005.<\/p>\n

Her professional background includes roles as an attorney in the Child Support Services Division of the New Mexico Health Care Authority, an assistant district attorney in the 11th Judicial District, a staff attorney for the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, and a senior policy analyst for the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department.<\/p>\n

\"Darla
Darla Whitney-Welles attended the investiture to support Brenna Clani-Washinawatok. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re all excited \u2013 thrilled \u2013 for Brenna to get this position. She certainly deserves it, she\u2019s earned it. San Juan County will be better for it,\u201d said Darla Whitney-Welles. \u201cIt\u2019s always important to see a young Native American woman rise to a position of leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anthony Allison added, \u201cIt\u2019s long overdue because we\u2019re a very diverse community, so it\u2019s good to have another Native American sitting in the judicial family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Court Executive Officer Jodie Schwebel explained that the swearing-in ceremony was moved on short notice from the court to the county commission chambers because of a plumbing issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one of the three things we celebrate in such a happy way at the courts,\u201d Schwebel said. \u201cWeddings, adoptions and investitures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Court
Court Executive Officer Jodie Schwebel greets the crowd at the investiture of Brenna Clani-Washinawatok. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Judges in attendance included Russell L. Bradford, Erich F. Cole, Virginia A. Yazzie, Stacey D. Biel, Trudy Reed-Chase, William D. Birdsall, Mark Hawkinson, Bradley L. Keeler, Douglas W. Decker, Curtis R. Gurley, Sarah B. Weaver, Bradford A. Dalley, and R. David Pederson, who serves as the 11th Judicial District\u2019s chief judge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe responsibilities of district courts, which handle adult and juvenile criminal cases as well as civil matters such as contract disputes, personal injury litigation, and domestic relations cases,\u201d a news release stated. \u201cMagistrate and metropolitan courts, in contrast, have limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic violations, and civil actions up to $10,000, and conduct preliminary hearings for felony charges.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chief Judge Pederson welcomed the crowd on a blustery spring day. Saying he hadn\u2019t been feeling well, he promised to keep his remarks \u201cshort and to the point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes me particularly proud of her, and one of the things that makes her uniquely qualified to be a district judge for our two counties,\u201d Pederson said, \u201cis that she\u2019s the only person who applied, to my knowledge, who\u2019s both a Kirtland Central Bronco and a Gallup Bengal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pederson also recognized former New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall, who was in attendance. Washinawatok previously worked for Udall.<\/p>\n

\"Former
Former New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall chats after the investiture ceremony. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The chief judge read a letter from Chief Justice David K. Thomson of the New Mexico Supreme Court, who expressed his regret for not being able to attend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always remind judges to remember their swearing-in because from here on out, you\u2019ll be sworn at,\u201d Pederson joked.<\/p>\n

The ceremony concluded with a robing ceremony conducted by Washinawatok\u2019s husband, James Washinawatok, and their son and daughter.<\/p>\n

Sharing her history<\/div>\n

Clani-Washinawatok thanked attendees and addressed the crowd briefly in Din\u00e9, expressing gratitude to Lujan Grisham and her family.<\/p>\n

She explained that her decision to pursue law stemmed from her experiences growing up in Gallup, where social, economic, political, geographic, and linguistic dynamics presented unique challenges.<\/p>\n

\"Brenna
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok shares the story of becoming a judge. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t go anywhere in the late \u201970s and early \u201980s without the Navajo language or having an interpreter,\u201d she said, noting that her mother often served as an interpreter, helping people navigate life in Gallup.<\/p>\n

Clani-Washinawatok recalled that many families relied on battery-operated radios because of a lack of electricity or running water. Radio broadcasts in Navajo often reported violent crimes, domestic violence, and alcohol-related incidents. Homicides, hit-and-run accidents, and repossessions of vehicles and mobile homes were common.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic service announcements about the importance of knowing your rights were typical of the times,\u201d she said. She also cited litigation by the Navajo Nation to challenge repossessions on tribal lands as a formative influence.<\/p>\n

\"Judge
Judge Brenna Clani-Washinawatok poses with judges following the investiture. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cThere was always something big in the headlines, and that just kind of stuck with me,\u201d she said. After law school, she was determined to return and serve her homeland.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will do my best to serve this office with honor and dignity,\u201d Washinawatok said. \u201cI take this job very seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony concluded with Washinawatok signing her oath of office.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is another illustration that the judiciary is, indeed, a third independent branch of government,\u201d Pederson said. \u201cAll government should reflect our communities, the diversity of our communities, and the cultures of our communities. Diversity is a strength, not a weakness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schwebel described the event as \u201cjoyous \u2026 we had a great turnout of family and friends to welcome her to the bench.\u201d<\/p>\n

James Washinawatok, Brenna\u2019s husband, expressed his pride, saying, \u201cSo proud, very happy \u2026 couldn\u2019t be more happy to celebrate with Brenna \u2026 just proud of her achievements.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a process just to get here \u2013 all the hard work and 18 years of legal practice with the county and the state,\u201d Washinawatok said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very happy and joyous time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of pride \u2026 she represents two communities, so for someone to take the initiative to stand up and do something while everyone is running away, that is incredible,\u201d added Alyssa Begay of Farmington.<\/p>\n

\"Alyssa
Alyssa Begay spoke with Tri-City Record after the event. David Edward Albright\/Tri-City Record.<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Clani-Washinawatok becomes newest 11th District judge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22521,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1240,28,443],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-22520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-aztec","tag-headlines","tag-san-juan-county-new-mexico"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22520"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77745,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22520\/revisions\/77745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22520"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=22520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}