The 24th Navajo Nation Council has unanimously voted to confirm Ernestine Tsinigine as Associate Justice of the Navajo Nation Supreme Court. The seat was vacant for more than 10 years and with the Council’s confirmation, the Navajo Nation now has an all-female Supreme Court.
Associate Justice Tsinigine will be appointed for a probationary period of 2 years and upon permanent appointment shall serve thereafter during good behavior. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez appointed Tsinigine to the post and cited her previous 11 years work with the tribe’s judicial system.
During swearing-in ceremonies Tuesday, Associate Justice Tsinigine recounted her work for the past two years as a probationary judge at Kayenta District Court. “It’s a hard job and a lot of work,” she said. “We have hearings all day, that’s the schedule of a judge.” She said the work experience in Kayenta enabled her to learn procedure and the law.
Tsinigine graduated from the University of New Mexico’s School of Law.