Another Supreme Court in town

American University's Washington College of Law is the venue today for a sitting of the Supreme Court of the Navajo Nation. The court usually sits in Window Rock, Arizona, but is hearing a case in D.C. as part of the school's founders' celebration and also to showcase what is regarded as the most active and developed tribal court system. The case before the court is Joe v. Black, which pits Navajo law against the tribal custom known as "nalyee," which according to the law school provides that victims are compensated so there are no hard feelings. Last month, four AU law students traveled to Window Rock for an "alternative spring break" experience in which they worked with the Navajo legal services organization.