Officers sworn in for Office of Administrative Hearings

Observer Staff

10/2/2003 12:00:00 AM

Attorneys Barbara Gibson and Edward Parker were sworn in July 24 as hearings officers for the Office of Administrative Hearings by Chief Maynard Kahgegab Jr.

Gibson has been an attorney for 19 years and Parker for 30 years. Both have extensive legal backgrounds in private practice, non-profit directorship and civil mediation.

The Office of Administrative Hearings was created in April by an amendment to Ordinance 14, which is the Tribal enrollment ordinance.

The Office of Administrative Hearings consists of two hearings officers, Paralegal Maureen Coallier-Fair and Administrative Assistant Linda Hallam.

Tribal Council established the Office of Administrative Hearings in order to provide a fair administrative process for enrollment matters. The administrative process allows applicants or members to have a hearing before the hearings officers similar to the hearings which take place in Tribal Court and other administrative tribunals in Michigan.

The applicant or member will be notified of the proceedings, may be represented by counsel or lay advocates who are admitted to practice before the Tribal Court, call witnesses and present evidence. A certified record of all proceedings will be made.

Following the hearings, the hearings officers will make recommendations to the Tribal certifier who will make the final enrollment decision. Final enrollment decisions by the certifier may be appealed to Tribal Court and the Tribal Court of Appeals.