AUGUST 15, 1999
5
Bench Notes
By Katharine English
Tribal Court Chief Judge
"Oh, I'm so pleased! I get to go see
the Judge!"
How many tribal members can
imagine saying such a thing? Not
many of you, I'll wager. Most people
fear going to Court, and for good rea
son. Court usually means something
unpleasant is happening a dispute
that hasn't yet been resolved. People
are worried and tense. Sometimes
they are angry or depressed. Rarely
is the atmosphere cheerful or festive.
This is true for me, your judge, as
well.
However, there are some days
when it's a pleasure to go to work.
Some of the work I do for you is just
plain fun. On one such occasion this
summer, I hope that Greg Russie
and Tracy Browning woke up in the
morning and said gleefully, "Hoo
ray! Today we get to see the Judge!"
Well, they probably didn't say ex
actly that more like, "Hooray, to
day we get married!"
Marriage is one of a judge's hap
piest judicial functions. I strongly
encourage any of you who would like
; to brighten up your judge's day, as
well as your own, to consider. Tribal
Court.
Any single person, who is an en
j rolled tribal member, a resident of the
Tribe's reservation, or who consents
to the jurisdiction of the Court, may
apply to the Tribal Court to be mar
ried by the Judge. The Court will is
sue a license, perform the ceremony,
and issue a marriage certificate after
the event. The marriage is recog
nized in all other jurisdictions.
The Tribe's Marriage Ordinance
provides that the marriage need not
take any particular form, although I
must exact from each of you the dec
laration that you accept the other as
husband or wife let's hope that this
will not be difficult! You are free to
create your own wedding ceremony,
and the possibilities are endless.
Couples have created some very
colorful places to be wed. Marriages
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Tracy and Greg Russie chose to get married through Tribal Court.
have been performed on ski slopes,
or sky-diving out of airplanes, or
riding horseback. (If you want me
to perform the ceremony, however,
be warned that I don't do bungee
jumping.) Several couples have
written their own ceremonies, using
poetry or song to express their de
votion and commitment. Creative
dress is an option - a red-leather
wedding, a costume event.
Sometimes couples write their own
promises to each other. One wife said
she wouldn't promise to obey the
husband unless he promised to obey
her, too. We decided to eliminate the
promise altogether. Now, if I had
wanted to put on my lawyer's hat, I
could have suggested that they
promise to "compromise, or submit
the matter to mediation andor ar
bitration," but that seemed to take
a little bit away from the beauty of
the ceremony, wouldn't you agree?
Tribal members might decide to
create a traditional ceremony, or in
fuse their wedding with symbols of
history and custom. Tribal regalia
might adorn the bride and groom.
Drummers might provide the music.
Prayers cotfld be offered by Elders.
Anything is possible.
Tracy and Greg Russie were mar
ried at Amity park on June 7 in front
of close family. They honeymooned
at the Oregon coast.
Greg, a tribal member who was
raised in Bakersfield, moved to
Grand Ronde before the casino
opened and has been working there
as a security guard since day one.
It was there that he met Tracy, who
works in the Bingo department.
"We met, and became friends," said
Tracy. "We always had different
schedules. But the first year the ca
sino was open, they held a New
Year's Eve celebration. At midnight,
Greg got a little New Year's kiss. We
started dating after that."
Greg proposed last February.
"We wanted to get married
through Tribal Court because I had
heard it was hassle-free and much
easier then going through the state,"
said Greg. "And it really was."
Tribal Court takes care of notifying
the state of the marriage.
Couples have
created some very
colorful places to be
wed. Marriages have
been performed on ski
slopes, or sky-diving
out of airplanes, or
riding horseback.
(Ifyouwantmeto
perform the ceremony,
however, be warned
that I don't do bungee-jumping.)
"Pay a small fee, then wait 24
hours," said Greg. "It's that easy."
Greg and Tracy chose a simple cer
emony. "Short and sweet," they re
quested. I made it short, but they
made it sweet. They brought the
most important part of the ceremony
two people, in love, ready to com
mit themselves to each other forever.
When we got rained out, we moved
it to the house, and they were mar
ried with friends and family beam
ing on.
Now your Judge is back to th.
more common business at hand
issuing orders permitting the carry
ing of weapons, reviewing children
in foster care, deciding if employ
ment contracts have been wrong
fully terminated. And in future col
umns I will share with you how
those laws affect you, and your
tribe. But for now, I just wanted to
share with you that best of all sum
mer rituals a wedding. Congratu
lations, Greg and Tracy.
And maybe some day you'll wake
up and say, "Hey, let's have some
fun! Let's go see the Judge!"
mm
Wefyesfyii, July 14-, 1111,
5:02 p.m. Meeting was called
to order at the Governance Center
by Kathryn Harrison, Tribal Coun
cil Chair. Val Grout, Bob Merrier,
and Leon C. Tom were excused. All
other Council members were
present.
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT,
MANAGEMENT & BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE
D National World War II Memo
rial Donation. Reyn Leno moved,
Ed Larsen seconded to approve a do
nation of $250 to the National World
War II Memorial to be built in Wash
ington,. D.C. between the Jefferson
and Washington Memorials. Re
quest was received from the Ameri
can Battle Monument Commission
and Co-Chairs Senator Bob Dole and
General Fred Woerner. Motion car
ried 5-0-0.
B Enrollment Blood Quan
tum Adjustment. Bob Haller
moved, Ed Larsen seconded to adopt
Resolution No. 093-99 to approve
a blood quantum adjustment for
member 317, Russell Jeffers and
siblings, (children of William and
Madora Jeffers) to 916 degree In
dian blood. Motion carried 5-0-0.
D Amendments to Burial Fund
Ordinance final approval.
Mark Mercier moved, Ed Pearsall
seconded to adopt Resolution No.
094-99 to amend the Burial Fund
Ordinance by increasing the time
allowed to apply for a burial benefit
payment from 30 days to 60 days of
the date of death. Motion carried 5-0-0.
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