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THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2003

The Michigan Court of Appeals released an opinion on Tuesday allowing state courts to use tribal court convictions to justify harsher punishment.

The unanimous decision said Keeshta Walter Wemigwans's prior drunk-driving convictions in the Saginaw Chippewa tribal court can be used to upgrade his state sentence to felony drunken driving. The ruling reversed a judge who said the tribal court proceeding may have not afforded Wemigwans full due process rights.

Get the Story:
Court: Prosecutors can use tribalcourt verdicts (AP 1/8)

Get the Decision:
PEOPLE OF MI V KEESHTA WALTER WEMIGWANS (January 7, 2003)