Claudeen Bates-Arthur, the first woman Chief Justice of the Navajo Nation Supreme Court, passed away on Saturday after a long illness. She was 62.

Bates-Arthur was confirmed to her post in October 2003. She was nominated by President Joe Shirley Jr., who said she served with "honesty, integrity, and impartiality."

Bates-Arthur was a 1974 graduate of the Arizona State University Law School. She was the tribe's first woman attorney general.

Funeral services are scheduled today. Shirley proclaimed a �Day of Remembrance� on December 9.

Get the Story:
Navajos honor woman jurist (The Farmington Daily Times 11/30)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org

Related Stories:
First woman to head Navajo Nation Supreme Court (10/23)
First woman appointed to Navajo Nation Supreme Court (10/02)