APPELLATE PANEL JUDGE – JUDICIAL SERVICES
I. Scope of Services
Wilton Rancheria, California (Tribe) is seeking a qualified individual to serve as an appellate judge for the Wilton Rancheria Appellate Panel. The appointed judge will be expected to:
A. Review decisions of the Tribal Court and issue written opinions.
B. Interpret and apply applicable legal standards.
C. Participate in Appellate Panel deliberations.
D. Ensure that rulings respect the Tribe’s sovereignty and traditional customs.
E. Maintain integrity, fairness, and impartiality in decision-making.
F. Participate in administrative matters to support the Wilton Rancheria judicial branch.
II. Tribal Background and the Judicial Branch of Government
Wilton Rancheria, the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County, is proud to be California’s Capitol Tribe. Our Citizens are primarily Miwok and Nisenan people, descendants of the Penutian linguistic family. The ancestors of Wilton Rancheria have inhabited the Sacramento Valley since time immemorial. Wilton Rancheria’s government is divided into four separate branches: General Council, Office of the Chairperson (Executive branch), Tribal Council (Legislative branch), and Tribal Court (Judicial branch). Please visit our website for additional information.
The Wilton Rancheria Constitution provides that the judicial branch of the Tribe shall be the Tribal Court. The Tribal Court has original jurisdiction over all cases and controversies, both criminal and civil, in law or in equity, arising under the Constitution, laws, customs, and traditions of Wilton Rancheria, including cases in which Wilton Rancheria, or its officials and employees, shall be a party.
The Appellate Panel consists of up to five (5) appellate judges. The Appellate Panel hears appeals from final judgments, sentences, and final orders of the Tribal Court.
Wilton Rancheria also carries its cultural identity forward through its Traditional Court. The Traditional Court advises the Tribal Court on matters of custom and tradition, which represent the Tribe’s common law. In this manner, the traditional values of Wilton Rancheria shall be kept at the forefront of the Tribal Court’s decision-making process.
III. Eligibility
To be eligible to serve as a judge of the Appellate Panel, and in order to qualify as a candidate for judge, a person must:
A. Be admitted to practice law before the highest court of any state;
B. Be at least thirty-five (35) years of age;
C. Never have been convicted of a felony, or been convicted, within the ten (10) years preceding his appointment, of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, corruption or dishonesty;
D. Have a familiarity with federal Indian law.
IV. Selection Criteria
The Tribe will evaluate proposals according to the following factors and relative points. To ensure your proposal receives full consideration, provide a complete response and in the same order as the categories and factors listed below.
A. General Experience (25 points).
1. List your name, telephone number, years of legal experience, and courts of licensure.
2. Provide the following information in tabular form for not less than three (3) tribes for which you provide(d) judicial services:
(a) Client's name, location, contact person, and current telephone number.
(b) Brief description of scope of work provided to client.
(c) Present status of relationship with client.
(d) The start date of your involvement with the client.
B. Specific Expertise (20 points). This category addresses the extent to which the applicant has the qualifications and experience to successfully perform the work. Factors which may be addressed include, but are not limited to:
1. Your experience with policies, regulations, and laws applicable to tribes, tribal entities and governments.
2. Your experience working with tribes regionally, either as legal counsel or as a Tribal judge.
3. Your experience with working with elected officials and administrative staff.
C. Judicial Philosophy (30 points). Please include a brief response to each of the following questions.
1. How would you balance legal precedents with new, evolving legal issues that may not have been addressed in prior rulings?
2. Describe your approach to ethical decision-making. How do you ensure impartiality and fairness in your rulings, especially when there is a potential for personal bias?
3. What are the considerations of an appellate judge in making decisions that sets legal precedents for future cases?
4. How would you handle a situation where your interpretation of Tribal law may conflict with the expectations of the Tribal government, or Tribal members?
5. You can find the Tribe’s Constitution online at: wiltonrancheria.tribal.codes. After reviewing, what stands out to you the most?
D. References (15 points). Please provide a minimum of three (3) references (Tribal Government preferred) that are able to comment on their experience working with you. The references provided should have a past or current business relationship with you that is similar to the work contained in this RFP. The references may be duplicative of those provided above. References should include the following:
1. Tribal/Company Name.
2. Address.
3. Contact name.
4. Telephone number.
5. Email address.
E. Native American Preference (10 points). This RFP is not restricted to Native American individuals; however, preference will be given to Native American individuals in accordance with the Tribe’s Indian Preference policy.
V. Instructions
This RFP is open until the deadline below. All proposals should be made in accordance with the following instructions:
A. A cover letter signed by the applicant.
B. Responses to the information requested in this RFP; and
C. Disclosure of any past or present assignments, relationships, or other employment that the applicant has or has had that may create a conflict of interest or an appearance of a conflict of interest in serving the Tribe. This includes, but is not limited to, disclosing any relationship, personal or professional, with any past or present elected official, officer, judge, employee, contractor, or citizen of the Tribe.
D. All proposals must be delivered by electronic mail, mail delivery, or in person on or before 5:00 p.m., June 30, 2025, to:
Wilton Rancheria Tribal Council
Attn: Kevin Singh, Spokesperson
9250 Laguna Springs Drive, Suite 117
Elk Grove, CA 95758
Email: ksingh@wiltonrancheria-nsn.gov
Tangi Kamu (Thank you)!
