Native Issues
Historic appointment
Feb 24, 2025

First Native American judge named to New Mexico district court


February 24, 2025

Brenna Clani-Washinawatok, a member of the Navajo Nation, will become the first Native American to serve as a judge for New Mexico’s Eleventh Judicial District, covering San Juan and McKinley counties. Appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, she will succeed Judge Daylene Marsh. Clani-Washinawatok, a fifth-generation Diné weaver, has previously served as a child support hearing officer and domestic violence commissioner.

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