• Home
  • About NNDOJ
  • Units
    • Office of the Atty General
      • Attorney General Opinions
      • Press Release
    • Office of the Prosecutor
    • Human Services & Government
    • Natural Resources
    • Economic & Community Development
    • Tax and Finance
    • Water Rights
    • Litigation Unit
    • Navajo Hopi Legal Services
  • 2014 Election Litigation
  • Request for Services
  • DOJ Staff Page

Contact Us:

Navajo Nation Department of Justice
Post Office Box 2010
Old BIA Club Building
Window Rock, Arizona 86515
(928) 871-6343
Fax: (928)871-6177

 

Find Us
Request for Services
Employment Opportunities with DOJ

Units and Programs

Office of the Attorney General
Office of the Prosecutor
Human Services/Government Unit
Natural Resources Unit
Economic/Community Development Unit
Tax and Finance Unit
Water Rights Unit
Litigation and Employment Unit
Navajo Hopi Legal Services

Quick Links

Navajo Nation Supreme Court Opinions
 
The Navajo Nation Government
(http://www.navajo-nsn.gov/)
Judicial Branch of the Navajo Nation
(http://www.navajocourts.org/)
Navajo Nation Bar Association
(http://www.navajolaw.org/)
American Bar Association
(http://www.abanet.org/)

The Navajo Nation / Department of Justice

 

Ethel B. Branch, Attorney General    May, 2015 to Present
Cherie Espinosa, Acting Deputy Attorney General    
 

Former Attorneys General

D. Harrison Tsosie 2011-2015
Louis Denetsosie
2003-2010
Levon B. Henry
1999-2002
Herb Yazzie
1993-1998
Elouise Chicharello
1992
Donna Christenson
1991-1992
Herb Yazzie
1990
Michael P. Upshaw
1987-1989
Claudeen Bates-Arthur
1983-1984
James George Abourezk
1982-1983

 

Mission

Pursuant to 2 N.N.C. §§ 1961-1965, the Navajo Nation Department of Justice provides legal services to the three governmental branches of the Navajo Nation Government, including its chapters and entities, in matters in which the Navajo Nation government has an interest. The Attorney General also initiates and defends all litigation against the Navajo Nation and supervises all outside attorney contractors who assist the Nation with various cases.

*****The Department of Justice does not represent individual tribal members except where sued in their capacity as Navajo Nation officials****
 

           Major Accomplishments

  • Settlement of Navajo and Hopi Land Claims for Executive Order Lands
  • Successful Negotiation of Major Energy Leases and Agreements
  • Settlement of Navajo Nation v. Peabody Holding Co., Inc.
  • Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project
  • Successful Implementation of Federal Agency Five-Year Plans for Cleanup of Uranium Contaminated Sites located in Navajo Indian Country
  • Remedy Selection for Cleanup of Northeast Church Rock Abandoned Uranium Mine Site that Utilizes Most Stringent Cleanup Standard in the Country
  • Successful Development of Gaming on the Navajo Nation
  • Kerr McGee v. Navajo Nation
  • Partition Judgement—1934 Reservation Litigation
  • New Mexico San Juan River Water Rights Settlement Agreement
  • Gila River III (reserved ground water rights)
  • Gila River V (permanent homeland doctrine)
  • Navajo Nation v. Russell Means
  • Navajo San Juan Southern Paiute Treaty

          Significant Navajo Nation Proceedings

  • OHA cases involving Chris Deschene and Russell Begaye  2014 Navajo Nation Elections.
  • EEOC v. Peabody Western Coal Company (Navajo Preference)
  • Navajo Nation v. US (Historical Trust Mismanagement)
  • El Paso Natural Gas Co and Navajo Nation v. United States, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia concerning the Tuba City area uranium contaminated sites
  • Tronox v. Kerr-McGee and Anadarko, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York relating to all former Kerr-McGee uranium contaminated sites in Navajo Indian Country
  • Navajo Nation v. Department of the Interior, et al. (proprietary rights in Canyon de Chelly)
  • Utah San Juan River Water Rights Settlement
  • Little Colorado River Adjudication
  • Colorado River Litigation (mainstem claim)

 

No elements found
  • CONTACT
Loading...