Bio
A. Diane Hammons is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology, Justice
Studies, and Global Security at Northeastern State University. She is also a District
Judge for the Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma, and is a federal contractor for the Bureau
of Indian Affairs. Hammons has focused primarily on tribal law and criminal law issues
throughout her career. She served as Attorney General of the Cherokee Nation from
July 2006 January 2012. Prior to that she worked as General Counsel, Director of
the Justice Department, Prosecutor, and Public Defender in her 17 year career at the
Nation. Previously, she was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Oklahoma
in the criminal division of that office, doing primarily death penaltywork. During
her tenure at the Oklahoma Attorney Generals office, she was responsible for dozens
of published cases from the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, the Oklahoma federalc
ourts, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court, where
she argued and won the case of Romano v. Oklahoma in 1994.
Education:
- JD, General, University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1984
- BA, English, University of Oklahoma, 1981
Hammons is currently working on a number of research projects centered around the
Cherokee Nation's legal history.
Hammons' specialty is tribal law, tribal courts, Cherokee history, and criminal trial
practice.
Intellectual Content:
- Advice for the Oklahoma Family Law Practitioner after Baby Veronica (Journal Article, Professional Journal), Published, October (4th Quarter/Autumn),
2015
Presentations:
- Hidden Behind Walls of Ivy: Child Sexual Abuse in Elite Boarding Schools - Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, 55th Annual Meeting - New Orleans, LA -
2018
- Trial Advocacy Skills Training for Tribal Prosecutors - Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Justice Support training - - May 2019
- Juvenile Justice: Schools and Crime - Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual meeting - - February 2018
- Indian Child Welfare Act - Symposium of the American Indian - Northeastern State University - - April 2015
Courses Taught:
- TORTS AND LITIGATION - CR J 4463 - Fall 2020
- EVIDENCE - CR J 3223 - Fall 2020
- CURRENT LEGAL ISSUES - CR J 4323 - Spring 2020
- INTRO LAW AND AMER COURT SYS - CR J 4113 - Fall 2019
- CRIMINAL LAW II - CR J 3023 - Spring 2019
- CONSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL LAW - CR J 5073 - Fall 2018
- CHEROKEE LEGAL HISTORY - AIS 4123 - Spring 2018
