Native American Legal Websites: Specific Native Issues

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was founded in 1944 in response to termination and assimilation policies that the United States forced upon the tribal governments in contradiction of their treaty rights and status as sovereigns. NCAI stressed the need for unity and cooperation among tribal governments for the protection of their treaty and sovereign rights.

Founded in 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is the oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.

The Center provides legal assistance to indigenous peoples of the Americas to combat racism and oppression, to protect their lands and environment, to protect their cultures and ways of life, to achieve sustainable economic development and genuine self-government, and to realize their other human rights.

Our mission is to provide government leaders, policy makers and the public with accurate information about the legal and political history of American Indian nations, and the contemporary situation for American Indians.

NAICJA is a national association comprised of tribal, state, and federal justice system personnel, including tribal leaders, judges, justices, peacemakers, court administrators, court clerks, Indian law practitioners and scholars, training and technical assistance providers, and others who are devoted to supporting and strengthening tribal justice systems through education, information sharing, and advocacy.

The National Indian Justice Center, Inc. (NIJC) is an Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation with principal offices in Santa Rosa, California. The National Indian Justice Center was established in 1983 through the collective efforts of the National American Indian Court Judges Association, the American Indian Lawyer Training Program, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in order to establish an independent national resource for Native communities and tribal governments.

The Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) created the Indian Law and Order Commission, an independent, all-volunteer advisory group, to help with the greatest challenges to securing equal justice for Native Americans living and working on Indian lands. The purpose of this website is to provide updates, news, and resources related to the Commission's activities.

The place for Indian Gaming News on the Internet. www.pechanga.net

The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), established in 1985, is a non-profit organization of 184 Indian Nations with other non-voting associate members representing organizations, tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around the country. The common committment and purpose of NIGA is to advance the lives of Indian peoples economically, socially and politically.

The National Native American Law Students Association was founded in 1970 to promote the study of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law and traditional forms of governance, and to support Native Americans in law school. We strive to reach out to Native communities and encourage Native People to pursue legal education. We also strive to educate the legal community about Native issues.

The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is a national voice for American Indian children and families. We are the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare and the only national American Indian organization focused specifically on the tribal capacity to prevent child abuse and neglect.

The American Indian Ritual Object Repatriation Foundation is a non-federally funded, not-for-profit organization founded in 1992 by Elizabeth Sackler. The Foundation assisted in the repatriation of ceremonial materials to American Indian people for more than fifteen years, and continue to be committed to educating students and the public about the importance of repatriation.