Claudette White facts for kids

Claudette Christine White (July 19, 1971 – February 6, 2021) was an important leader and judge for Native American tribes. She served as the Chief Judge for the Quechan Tribal Indian Court from 2006 to 2020. She was also the Chief Judge for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians from 2018 to 2020.

A Chief Judge is like the main judge in a court. They make sure laws are followed and help solve problems. Claudette White was also part of important groups that helped tribal courts work with state courts. She was a proud member of the Quechan Indian Tribe. Claudette White passed away on February 6, 2021, due to complications from COVID-19.

Growing Up

Claudette White was born in Yuma, Arizona, on July 19, 1971. She grew up on the Quechan Reservation. This reservation is near the borders of Arizona, California, and Mexico.

Claudette was a member of the Quechan Indian Tribe. Her family also had roots in the Cocopah and Kumeyaay Indian Tribes. Her mother raised her and worked as a home health aide.

Education and Learning

In 1989, Claudette graduated from San Pasqual High School in Arizona. She was the first person in her family to go to college. In 1995, she earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Northern Arizona University. Criminal justice is the study of laws, crime, and the justice system.

Claudette then went to law school in 2002 with a full scholarship. In 2005, she earned her law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law. While studying, she worked full-time to support herself and her son, Zion.

Her Important Work

When she was 24, Claudette White was elected to the Quechan Tribal Council. This council helps lead the tribe and make decisions. She was one of the youngest people ever elected to this role.

While on the Tribal Council, many important things happened:

• The Quechan Tribal Court was created. This court helps the tribe handle its own legal matters.
• The first set of laws for the Quechan Indian Tribe was written.
• Rules for tribal gaming (like casinos) were made.

Claudette White also helped the Quechan Tribe stop states from putting nuclear waste facilities on land. This land in the Mojave Desert is very important to the Quechan and other tribes.

After law school, Claudette became the Chief Judge of the Quechan Tribal Indian Court. She served in this role from 2006 to 2018. In 2018, she also became the Chief Judge for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians until 2020. In January 2021, she was sworn in again as a Quechan Tribal Council Member.

Claudette White was a board member of the National American Indian Court Judges Association. She also helped with the California Tribal Court-State Forum. This group helps tribal courts and state courts work together. She was also chosen to be part of the California Child Welfare Council.

Claudette White took part in President Joe Biden’s virtual inauguration in 2021. She led a group of Quechan performers in a traditional song. She was also featured in a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary called Tribal Justice in 2017.