The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) congratulate Lauren J. King, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, on her confirmation as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court of Washington, Western District. She joins the federal bench as only the third active Native American federal district court judge in the United States, the fifth in the history of the federal judiciary, and the first Native American federal judge in the state of Washington.

The Honorable Lauren King is well qualified for her new role. She previously served as a judge for the Northwest Intertribal Court System and currently serves on the board of the Northwest Tribal Court Judges Association. She chaired Foster Garvey P.C.’s Native American Law Practice Group and has been consistently recognized for her work in litigation matters and Native American law. She has previously served as Chair of the Washington State Bar Association Indian Law Section Board and as an adjunct professor of Federal Indian Law at Seattle University School of Law.

Statement from NCAI President Fawn Sharp:

“NCAI extends its most heartfelt congratulations to Lauren King on her confirmation to serve as the first ever Native American federal judge in Washington state. Home to twenty-nine federally recognized tribal nations, the Washington federal bench is now stronger with the extraordinarily qualified and talented legal mind of Lauren King. We look forward to the nomination of many more American Indian and Alaska Native peoples to the federal bench. ”

Statement from NARF Executive Director John Echohawk:

“The Honorable Lauren King will be a remarkable addition to the federal judiciary both because of her professional qualifications and experience and because of her experience and understanding as a tribal citizen. Representation matters, and we congratulate Judge King on her ground-breaking accomplishments.”

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About the Native American Rights Fund:
Founded in 1970, NARF is the oldest and largest non-profit dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and individual Indians nationwide. For the past 48 years, NARF has represented over 275 Tribes in 31 states in such areas as tribal jurisdiction, federal recognition, land claims, hunting and fishing rights, religious liberties, and voting rights. For more information, visit www.narf.org.

About the National Congress of American Indians:
Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit www.ncai.org.