Tonto Apache Tribe creates court of appeals

The Payson Roundup: Tribe creates court of appeals: "The Tonto Apache Tribal court has operated without their own court of appeals until now when the tribe's population growth has dictated the need for a more sophisticated judicial system. 'It's like 20 years ago when Payson didn't have stoplights,' said tribal council Chairman, Ivan Smith. 'We didn't need them then, but we need them now.' Smith and the tribal council appointed three men to hear upcoming appeals. The judges, Thomas Zlaket, former Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court; Jesse Filkins, former Maricopa County Superior Court Judge; and former Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Kevin Gover, will begin hearing appeals in November."