On Friday July 14th, 2017, Victim Service Program Coordinator Lisa Manzanares and Victim Service Advocate Joann Gomez graduated from a six month online program titled Tribal Court Legal Advocacy Program. The program finished with a weeklong classroom phase.

This course required numerous hours of study, tests, and personal time. On Friday, July 14, the ladies received their well-deserved diplomas. This program was sponsored by the National Tribal Trial College at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Participants had to apply before being accepted into the program. This is a prestigious training program that had attendees from Indian Tribes hailing from Alaska to Oklahoma.

The training required Gomez and Manzanares to prepare cases and present them before judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys in a courtroom setting. This training will allow these ladies to better advocate for their clients in court.

Our staff here at the Southern Ute Police Department would like to congratulate Lisa Manzanares and Joann Gomez for a job well done! Joann said this was the hardest training program she’s ever had to take in her over 30 years here at the Tribe. The new graduates were serenaded by members of the school’s marching band following the graduation ceremony.