Welcome to the Tribal Court Clearinghouse

The Tribal Court Clearinghouse is a comprehensive website established in June 1997 to serve as a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native Nations, American Indian and Alaska Native people, tribal justice systems, victims services providers, tribal service providers, and others involved in the improvement of justice in Indian country.

The Tribal Court Clearinghouse is developed and maintained by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, an Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation organized to design and develop education, research, training, and technical assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples.

A Victim-Centered Approach to Domestic Violence Against Native Women: Resource Guide for Drafting or Revising Tribal Laws Against Domestic Violence was developed by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute in cooperation with the Office on Violence Against Women. This resource guide includes exercises, examples, and discussion questions to help you customize your laws to meet the needs of your community. The Institutes staff and consultants are available to assist in the code-writing process - please contact Sarah Deer at or 651-644-1125 to discuss your needs.

26th Annual "Protecting Our Children" National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect

The 26th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect will be held April 16 to 21, 2007, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. Sponsored by the Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the conference theme is "Protecting Children, Promoting Healthy Families, and Preserving Communities."

New on the Tribal Court Clearinghouse

• TribalProtectionOrder.org Launched - Under a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, the Tribal Law and Policy Institute has launched a new website, TribalProtectionOrder.org, which is designed to provide both tribal and non-tribal entities with a clearinghouse of information and resources pertaining to the issuance and enforcement of protection orders.
• Perceptions of Methamphetamine use in three Western Tribal Communities: Implications for Child Abuse in Indian Country - Indian country lacks both a macro and micro study of child abuse and methamphetamines. Because so little is documented routinely by either law enforcement, social services or medical professionals in assessing risks and dangers to children from environments where meth is found, data is difficult to find. However, in an attempt to explore the increasing concerns raised by the emerging methamphetamine epidemic in Indian country, professionals from three Western Tribal communities were asked to complete a survey about their perceptions of meth us and implications for child abuse in the communities in which they worked. This study was funded through the Training and Technical Assistance grant that the Tribal Law and Policy Institute receives for Children’s Justice Act Partnerships in Indian Communities to assist tribes in addressing serious child abuse. The tribes and individuals that participated in the study were guaranteed anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the questions being asked. However, each Tribal Council provided permission for the surveys to be conducted within their service areas.

Final Report: Focus Group on Public Law 280 and the Sexual Assault of Native Women On August 15 - 16, 2007 the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) hosted a focus group in Green Bay, Wisconsin to discuss challenges to, and opportunities for, collaboration between states and tribes in Public Law 280 jurisdictions to address sexual assault in Indian country. The Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) provided technical assistance and collaborated with OVW on the design and delivery of the session. This final report details the event.

On Thursday, September 27, 2007 the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held an oversight hearing on the Prevalence of Violence against Indian Women. You can View The Webcast or Download Transcripts of Hearing.

Emerging Issues

In recognition of National American Indian Heritage Month, NCJRS presents Justice in Indian Country, a compilation of information and resources on justice-related matters in tribal communities. This resource provides links to publications, Web sites, and funding opportunities on topics including tribal law, justice systems, law enforcement, courts, corrections, juvenile justice, and victim services.

Navajo Nation owed money for bungled lease (September 14, 2007) The Interior Department breached its trust to the Navajo Nation and must pay damages for mishandling a coal mining lease, a federal appeals court ruled on Thursday. In a unanimous decision, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals said the "undisputed facts" prove Interior breached its fiduciary duties to the largest tribe in the country. Swayed by a lobbyist, the Reagan administration approved a coal mining lease for a less than a "reasonable" royalty rate, the three-judge panel concluded. That action violated common trust law, as well as a "network" of federal laws and regulations aimed at protecting the tribe's coal resources and keeping the tribe informed about its assets, the court said. More Information >>>

Court denies tribal jurisdiction in ICWA case (September 14, 2007) The South Dakota Supreme Court denied the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe jurisdiction in an Indian Child Welfare Act case. The court said the tribe lacked authority over Daniel John Carlson, who is non-Indian, and his daughter. The court said the daughter is not a ward of the tribe and that Carlson does not live on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Reservation, which has been diminished. Carlson's ex-wife is a tribal member. She sought custody of the couple's 6-year-old daughter after Carlson left their 17-month-old daughter in a locked car all day, leading to her death. The state did not prosecute Carlson so his ex-wife, Barbara Baldwin, sought custody in tribal court under ICWA. More Information >>>

Maine sovereignty case headed to Supreme Court (July 9, 2007) Two Maine tribes who lost a critical sovereignty case are filing an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices are the last hope for the Aroostook Band of Micmac Indians and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that both tribes are subject to state employment laws. The tribes fall under a land claims settlement that limited their sovereignty, the 1st Circuit said. Attorney Douglas Luckerman said the decision could have a negative impact throughout Indian Country. The Supreme Court briefs will be filed in the coming months. More Information >>>

Report details 'maze' Native women victims face (April 25, 2007) Amnesty International released a report on Tuesday that details the "Maze of Injustice" that Native women face when they become victims of rape and sexual assault. Native women are victimized at 2.5 times the rate of other racial and ethnic groups. Their attackers are more likely to be non-Native, according to government statistics. But tribal governments are hindered by federal law and court decisions. They cannot prosecute non-Natives and they cannot impose a sentence greater than one year or fines of greater than $5,000. State and federal governments can prosecute non-Indians. But Native women advocates say the crimes often go unprosecuted. "Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA"  focuses on three areas: Oklahoma, Alaska and the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North and South Dakota. It contains the stories of Native women victims and makes more than 50 recommendations to change the justice system. More Information >>>

Yakama treaty protects smokeshop owners from prosecution (May 21, 2007) Members of the Yakama Nation of Washington can't be prosecuted under a tobacco contraband law, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday. After their smokeshop was raided in June 2004, Harry Smiskin and his son, Kato, were indicted for allegedly violating the federal Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act. According to government prosecutors, the two men failed to notify the state of Washington that they were transporting large quantities of cigarettes without state tax stamps. But in a unanimous decision, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the charges against the Smiskins. A three-judge panel said prosecution under the contraband law violates the Yakama Treaty of 1855 because it prevents tribal members from free use of public highways and interferes with tribal commerce. More Information >>>

Colorado U.S. Attorney cross-deputizes tribal officers (May 7, 2007) U.S. Attorney Troy Eid of Utah has been cross-deputizing tribal police officers to enforce federal law. Eid said more than 40 officers on the Southern Ute Reservation, as well as officers in two counties, have been cross-deputized. He hopes it will lead to improved law enforcement in Indian Country. About a fifth of the criminal cases handled by Eid's office originate from the Southern Ute Reservation and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. The homicide rate on the Ute Mountain reservation is 25 times higher than the rate for the state's biggest cities. Colo. tribal officers deputized to help enforce federal laws (The Denver Post 5/7).

9th Circuit blocks snowmaking at sacred peaks (March 12, 2007) The Bush administration violated tribal religious rights by approving the use of reclaimed wastewater in the sacred San Francisco Peaks, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday. In a unanimous decision, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the treated sewage would harm the religious beliefs and practices of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe and others throughout the Southwest. The three-judge panel cited the testimony of spiritual elders who said the Peaks would be poisoned by the use of reclaimed wastewater. More Information >>>

On September 30, 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California signed SB 678 into law. SB 678 will take effect on January 1, 2007. SB 678 codifies the federal requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. §§ 1901, et. seq.) into the California Family, Probate and Welfare & Institutions Codes. This legislation applies in every California court and will impact every tribe in the nation should one of their minor Indian children be involved. This is one of the most important pieces of legislation to benefit Indian tribes, Indian families, and Indian children in California. More Information >>>

Navajo Nation Judicial Branch provides the public and practitioners easy access to information about the Navajo Nation justice system and the efforts of Aląąjį' Hashkééjí Nahat'á in carrying out their duties and responsibilities, including links to Navajo Nation Supreme Court Opinions, The Fundamental Laws of the Diné, Navajo Court Procedural Rules, Navajo Nation Council Resolutions.

Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Launches new Tribal Justice and Safety Web Site (November 28, 2006) - The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced the launch of a new Tribal Justice and Safety Web site, Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country. The Internet home page will be a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and communities, and will help the general public and other federal agencies to better understand the resources available for improving safety in Native American communities.  “I am honored to deliver the promise that I made to provide a ‘one stop shop’ that will enhance the prevention of and response to crime and the administration of justice in Indian country,” said Regina B. Schofield, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “This will serve as a medium for talking about promising practices across the nation. Crime knows no boundaries, and the Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country site is another way we are using technology to prevent crime and violence from taking root in our communities.”

TribalProtectionOrder.org Launched - Under a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, the Tribal Law and Policy Institute has launched a new website, TribalProtectionOrder.org, which is designed to provide both tribal and non-tribal entities with a clearinghouse of information and resources pertaining to the issuance and enforcement of protection orders.

United States Government Accountability Office issued a Report to Congressional Committees called "Grants Management: Grantees' Concerns with Efforts to Streamline and Simplify Processes." Grants.gov continues to demonstrate a lack of standardization and inefficiencies in grant administration across federal agencies and difficulties with implementing its Web portal, the Government Accountability Office said in a recent report. Read the Report >>>

Archived Emerging Issues

 

We are pleased to announce that our newest textbook, "Sharing our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence" is now available for purchase through AltaMira Press. This textbook has been funded through a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women. Sharing our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence is a general introduction to the social and legal issues involved in acts of violence against Native women, this book's contributors are lawyers, advocates, social workers, social scientists, writers, poets, and victims. In the U.S. Native women are more likely than women from any other group to suffer violence, from rape and battery to more subtle forms of abuse, and Sharing Our Stories of Survival explores the causes and consequences of such behavior. The stories and case-studies presented here are often painful and raw, and the statistics are overwhelmingly grim; but a countervailing theme also runs through this extremely informative volume: Many of the women who appear in these pages are survivors, often strengthened by their travails, and the violence examined here is human violence, meaning that it can be changed, if only with much effort and education. The first step is to lay out the truth for all to see, and that is the purpose accomplished by this book. To order, call 800-462-6420 or visit Alta Mira Press and use promotion code BW8SSOS to receive your 20% discount! We are interested in your feedback about this book. After you have had an opportunity to read this book, please consider filling out Our Online Survey. Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies addresses the power of tribal courts and tribal legal systems as key to the exercise and expansion of tribal sovereignty. Richland and Deer discuss in depth the histories, structures and practices of tribal justice systems, efforts to balance tribal legal heritage and Anglo-American law, the scope of criminal and civil jurisdictions, child welfare and civil rights, traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in contemporary tribal law, models of peacemaking, and means for assuring integrity of tribal courts. "I have taught undergraduate courses in Tribal Law at several universities and have been amazed at the lack of available resources and texts. Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies will fill the void in the field and provide an avenue for expanded course offerings. I am particularly impressed with the authors' approach to tribal law and their extensive use of primary tribal documents such as tribal court opinions and tribal code provisions. I would recommend this manuscript for use in a variety of courses and will use the materials myself."—Stacy L. Leeds, Director, Tribal Law and Government Center, University of Kansas School of Law To order, call 800-462-6420 or visit Alta Mira Press and use promotion code BS5TLSTS to receive your 20% discount! Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure examines the complex subject of tribal criminal law and procedure from a tribal perspective—utilizing tribal statutory law, tribal case law, and the cultural values of Native peoples. Garrow and Deer discuss in depth the histories, structures and practices of tribal justice systems, comparisons of traditional tribal justice with Anglo-American law and jurisdictions, elements of criminal law and procedure, and alternative sentencing and traditional sanctions. Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure will be an invaluable resource for legal scholars and students. To order, call 800-462-6420 or visit Alta Mira Press and use promotion code BS5TLSTS to receive your 20% discount!