Desjarlais sworn in as new chief justice

Cher Desjarlais (Sam Sandoval photo)

PABLO — On September 11, Cher Desjarlais was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Appellate Court.

Desjarlais earned her juris doctorate from the University of Montana School of Law in 1996. She is an enrolled member of the Assiniboine Nation of Fort Belknap. Desjarlais is a 1988 graduate of Arlee High School and a former University of Montana Lady Griz Cross-Country and Track scholarship athlete (1988-1992) in which she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Communication in 1993. She is married to Daniel F. Decker, and the mother of Wyatt, Shaniya and Frederick. The family operates the Rockin’ D Diamond Ranch of St. Ignatius.

Upon graduation from law school, she served as staff counsel to the National Indian Gaming Commission in Washington, DC. In 1997, Desjarlais served as in-house counsel for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes working in the areas of gaming, child protection services and criminal prosecution.

In 1998 Ms. Desjarlais co-founded the all-Indian owned Law Offices of Decker & Desjarlais, PLLC, located in St. Ignatius. As a Partner in the law firm she has dedicated her practice to Indian Law and serves a variety of Tribal Nations, corporations and individual tribal members. Desjarlais is licensed to practice law in the Courts of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, State of Montana, State of California, Chippewa-Cree Tribe and Crow Nation.