Choctaw Nation appoints first full-time district judge

Jan. 14—The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has added a third judge to its district court following the appointment of the tribe's first full-time judge to the bench.

Amy J. Pierce joins Presiding District Judge Richard Branam and District Judge Mark Morrison in overseeing cases filed in the Choctaw Nation District Court system.

According to the tribe, Pierce was sworn in last week by Choctaw Nation Chief Justice David Burrage at the Choctaw Nation Judicial Center in Durant.

"Judge Pierce is an outstanding addition to our court system," said Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation in an announcement released by the tribe. "Her integrity, judgement, discernment and knowledge will continue to establish our judicial system as one of the best tribal courts in the country."

According to Pierce's bio, Pierce is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation and was most recently a partner at Hampton Barghols Pierce, PLLC in Oklahoma City and held positions at two other law firms in Oklahoma City.

Pierce earned her Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University after receiving her Bachelor of Science from Oklahoma State University. She also completed the Harvard Negotiation Institute program through the Harvard Law School.

The new district judge has also been voted a "Top 25 Women in Law" in the state of Oklahoma by Super Lawyers among other honors.

The tribe states with Pierce's experience in Native American law, she is welcomed to the Choctaw Nation as the judicial branch continues to increase its case load as a result of the July 2020 McGirt v Oklahoma decision in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decision in April 2021 applied the analysis behind the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma to the Choctaw Nation.

Along with criminal matters, the court focuses on family issues such as divorce, child custody, child support, parental rights, visitation and adoption, civil matters, juvenile matters, and guardianship.

The tribe utilizes two locations for court hearings, the main Judicial Center in Durant and the tribe's secondary courthouse in Talihina for people who live in the northern half of the tribe's boundaries.

All decisions made by the district court are recognized by the state of Oklahoma, the federal government, and the Court of Indian Offenses.