Brenna Clani-Washinawatok at a glance
- Current role
- District Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New Mexico · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok
District Court Judge · Eleventh Judicial District Court
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok — Eleventh Judicial District Court
Biography
Professional career
- Her 2025 appointment marked a historic milestone as the first Native American woman to serve as a district judge in the 11th Judicial District
- From 2022, served the Eleventh Judicial District as a child support and domestic relations hearing officer and domestic violence commissioner
- The court identified her as its first Native American district judge
- Legal Career: Former attorney in the New Mexico Health Care Authority Child Support Services Division, Eleventh Judicial District assistant district attorney, Navajo Nation Department of Justice staff attorney, and senior policy analyst for the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department
- District Judge, Division 6 of the 11th Judicial District Court of New Mexico, which covers San Juan and McKinley counties
- Brenna L. Clani-Washinawatok is the first Native American woman to serve as a district court judge in New Mexico’s 11th Judicial District, presiding over cases in San Juan and McKinley counties
Education
- University of New Mexico School of Law — magna cum laude — J.D. (2005)
- Bachelor's degree — Stanford University
Additional information
- Appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in March 2025 to succeed retired Judge Daylene Marsh.
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
New Mexico Rule 23-107 — media coverage
Eleventh Judicial District Court
2018 dated rule; not extended to Municipal Courts. Media coverage exceptions and judicial control apply. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov
Identity source · HTML · Source checked October 4, 2026
View eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov ↗