Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Tori Smith’s quest to become a judge started after watching an episode of "Saved by the Bell." "I wish so badly that I could quote some philosopher, but it was Jessie Spano," Smith says. "It was a flashback episode or a dream where she was a judge, and I just thought it sounded really cool and that’s how it started." She wanted a career that allowed her to serve her Native American community as a member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Her tribe established an education scholarship, which she was able to advantage of in her journey to law school. Smith was appointed to the court to fill the vacancy left by Judge Alex McVeagh, who recently was elected to the 11th Judicial District Circuit Court. Read more about Judge Smith from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

A new report published by the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession details the experiences of female Native American lawyers as they navigate the intersection of race and gender in the legal profession. The report was published in collaboration with the National Native American Bar Association (NNABA). "Excluded & Alone: Examining the Experiences of Native American Women in the Law and a Path Towards Equity" recounts personal stories of the challenges facing female Native Americans who practice law and is based on a qualitative research study conducted by Arin N. Reeves, Ph.D., president and managing director of Nextions LLC. For the study, 74 Native American female lawyers were randomly chosen to participate in group sessions, sharing personal stories about their journeys into and within the legal profession. Findings from the report were presented yesterday as part of a webinar. Read the ABA's full press release. 

The American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress is launching a new traveling exhibit, “100 Years After the Indian Citizenship Act: The Continuing Struggle to Guarantee Voting Rights to Native Americans,” in celebration of Native American Heritage Month in November. The exhibit explores Native American Voting Rights before the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 and will build off the success of its predecessors that reached more than 225 venues nationwide: Magna Carta (2015-18), 19th Amendment (2019-22) and Mayflower Compact (2022-23). The new exhibit will be on display nationwide at law schools, state capitol buildings, state and local bar associations, courthouses, law firms and national and local conferences. Visit the ABA website for the full press release and current exhibit locations.

President Trump signed an executive order yesterday aimed at addressing the unsolved cases of murdered and missing Native American women and children. A 2008 study found women in some tribal communities are 10 times more likely to be murdered than the average American. The effort, Operation Lady Justice, will utilize a task force approach to encourage federal and tribal officials to work together to fight violence in Native American communities. WKRN has more on the move.