The Navajo Nation Department of Justice has taken a major step forward.

Now, for the first time, formal legal opinions of the Navajo Nation are available online and in one place.

Anyone can access the legal opinions now, thanks to a new initiative by Attorney General Ethel Branch.

“When I became Attorney General, members of the Navajo Nation Council encouraged me to provide greater access to the Attorney General’s opinions,” Branch said in a press release.

The opinions date back to June 1998, when the first one was authored by former attorney general Herb Yazzie. Since then, 17 more have been issued, including three from Branch herself.

“With the hire of our new staff member, Brandon Begay, who comes to us with tremendous information technology expertise, we have gained the capacity to make

Branch joined the tribal government in July, 2015, as an appointee of Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye.

“It is so critical that we have clarity in our laws. Access to Attorney General opinions will provide that clarity on questions of law,” Branch said.

The attorney general’s opinions are available online at http://nndoj.org/attorneygeneralopinions.aspx.

The Department of Justice can be reached at (928) 871-6343.