MISSION, OR – The Board of Trustees for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) recently took action by way of motion to honor Chief Judge William Johnson of the Umatilla Tribal Court as the recent recipient of the President’s Special Award of Appreciation. This award will be formally conveyed by David Wade, President of the Oregon State Bar, on October 28, 2021, during a remote ceremony for recipients of the Oregon State Bar awards for exceptional service.
Judge Johnson is receiving the President’s Special Award of Appreciation for his lifetime of service to the people of the CTUIR through his work in the Umatilla Tribal Court, but also specifically for his efforts to help secure passage of Senate Bill 183. This bill, which will go into effect on January 1, 2022, provides for full faith and credit for tribal court judgments, decrees, and orders of all federally recognized tribes in Oregon in the state judicial and law enforcement systems. This will increase the ability of state, county, and tribal courts to coordinate and enforce tribal court orders, including protective orders, improving safety for individuals who rely on enforcement of tribal court orders and increasing accountability for those who have been found to have violated tribal criminal law.
The Oregon State Bar annually recognizes Oregon attorneys for exceptional contributions in the field of law, including an Award for Merit for contributions to the bench, bar, and community at large while exhibiting the highest standards of professionalism, the Wallace P. Carson Jr. Award for Judicial Excellence for contributions to the judicial system, and the President’s Public Service Award for contributions to the public through efforts involving pro bono services, among a number of other awards.
In addition, the Oregon State Bar Indian Law Section, of which CTUIR Tribal member and Lead Attorney Naomi Stacy is a member, is receiving the President’s Membership Service Award that honors attorneys for contributions made to the legal profession.
A full list of awards and the 2021 recipients is available online at: https://www.osbar.org/osbevents.