A Journey to the Judiciary by the First Native American Female Federal Judge - Keynote Judge Diane Humetewa

Judge Diane Humetewa Related Seminars and Products

The Honorable Diane J. Humetewa was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 14, 2014, as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court in the District of Arizona.  In addition to her judicial responsibilities on the bench, Judge Humetewa serves on multiple court committees at the district and circuit levels regarding pro se litigants, education, and tribal issues.  She was recently appointed by the Ninth Circuit Chief Judge, Sidney R. Thomas, to Chair an Ad Hoc Committee on Tribal-Native Relations, and by Chief Justice, John G. Roberts, of the U.S. Supreme Court to serve on the Judicial Conference of the United States’ Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction. 

Prior to her judicial confirmation, she served as Special Advisor to the President and Special Counsel in the Office of General Counsel at Arizona State University (2011-2014).  She also served as a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.  

Judge Humetewa was formerly Of Counsel with the law firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP (2009-2011), representing tribal government clients as a federal Indian law and natural resources law attorney.

She served in the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona (1996-2009), where, as Senior Litigation Counsel (2001-2007) she prosecuted a wide variety of federal crimes, including violent crimes in Indian Country, Native American cultural crimes, and archeological resource crimes. She subsequently served as the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona (2007-2009).  During her tenure in the United States Attorney’s Office, Judge Humetewa also served as Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General (1996-1998). Prior to that she was Deputy Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (1993-1996).   

Judge Humetewa received her J.D. in 1993 from Arizona State University College of Law and her B.S. in 1987 from Arizona State University.  She is a member of the Hopi Tribe and has served as an Appellate Court Judge for the Hopi Tribe Appellate Court (2002-2007).