The appeals court of the Yakama Nation of Washington heard its first case in more than six years on Tuesday.

The court has been inactive since 2000. It wasn't until this year that new judges were appointed, following a critical report from the National Indian Justice Center that found conflicts of interest, daily breaches of confidentiality and security and a mounting backlog of cases.

In total, there are 54 cases on the docket. The first case on Tuesday was so old that neither party showed up to the hearing.

Get the Story:
Yakamas reinstate appeals court (The Yakima Herald-Republic 9/27)

Relevant Links:
National Indian Justice Center - http://nijc.indian.com

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