Any judge or cultural advisor may decline to participate in any court hearing if they feel they cannot be fair to all parties to an action. If any party feels a judge or cultural advisor cannot be fair, the party may ask the judge or cultural advisor to decline to participate in that party’s matter. If the judge or cultural advisor elects to continue to hear the matter, the party may seek a hearing with the Chief Judge. The Chief Judge may remove the judge or cultural advisor from the hearing, and said decision is final. Except that if the challenged party is the Chief Judge of the Yurok Court, the hearing shall be before the Presiding Judge of the Supreme Court; or if no such Presiding Judge is then acting, the Tribal Chairperson will appoint an associate judge to hear this matter.

The decisions in these matters will be guided by the cultural precepts that have from time immemorial guided decision-making within the Yurok Tribe, including but not necessarily limited to the historic practice of having known parties act as decision-makers and mediators in disputes. When in place or feasible, and upon the request and mutual agreement of both parties, the Court will give preference to assigning cases to known parties for the purposes of traditional Yurok dispute resolution. [Ord. 17 § 5 (1.2), adopted, 3/26/2008.]