April 28, 2022
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne is pleased to announce the confirmation and appointments of four new Ratiianerenhserakwenienhstha (Justices):
Alexandria David, Mellani Martin, Rhonda Garrow, and Theresa Thompson.
The Justices will be sworn in by the Director of the Akwesasne Justice Department, who also holds an appointment as a Justice of the Peace, Joyce King. The Swearing-In Ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 28th at Council’s General Meeting located at the Kanatakon Recreation Center at 6:00 PM.
Through a grant from the Department of Justice Canada, the Akwesasne Justice Department contracted with the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) for a Justice Training Program. This training program was designed for Akwesasne’s unique circumstances. CIAJ did an excellent job putting forth notable justices/speakers across Canada to assist with this Justice training. The Justice Training was an intense 10-week session with follow up classes in the fall of 2021.
Fourteen community members attended the justice training. As a result, four Mohawk women meet the qualifications and training requirements set by the Akwesasne Review Commission to be considered for an appointment to sit before the Akwesasne Court.
The Akwesasne Court Law was passed in February 2016 and came into force on August, 2016. The Akwesasne Court Law grants the new justice jurisdiction to adjudicate the following civil offenses;
- Indian Act Offenses
- Akwesasne Laws and By-laws
- Protection Orders (Peace bonds/Skennen Orders)
- Court ordered Mediation Services
