LibGuides: Tribal Courts, Codes and Constitutions: Tribal Courts

Tribal Courts Resources

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.
National American Indian Court Judges Association
The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) is a national voluntary association of tribal court judges. NAICJA is a non-profit corporation established in 1969. NAICJA is primarily devoted to the support of American Indian and Alaska Native justice systems through education, information sharing and advocacy. The mission of the NAICJA, as a national representative membership organization, is to strengthen and enhance tribal justice systems.
Southwest Intertribal Court of Appeals
American Indian Law Center’s Southwest Intertribal Court of Appeals (SWITCA) Program provides an appellate court forum for tribes located in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and West Texas. Since its inception in 1989, SWITCA has allowed tribal courts to bring cases before a panel of experienced judges to render decisions at the appellate level for those tribes that do not have the financial means or governmental infrastructure to administer a court of appeals for tribal court decisions.
Northwest Intertribal Court System
The Northwest Intertribal Court System (NICS) is a consortium of Native American Indian Tribes in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is one of the only intertribal court systems in the country.
Each tribe has its own independent court and codes.
NICS provides trial and appellate judges, assistance with code development, training and technical assistance.

Tribal Law on Westlaw

Westlaw has recently added a Tribal Law database to their existing offerings.
Here are a few files contained within this newly-compiled database:

West's American Tribal Law Reporter
Federal Native American Treaties
West Legal Directory - Native Peoples Law

Tribal Court Sites

Arizona Tribal Court Contact :List
A succinct list of Tribal Court personnel, contact information including phone numbers and mailing addresses.
Minnesota American Indian Bar Association
A guide to contact information for all eleven Tribal Courts located in Minnesota.
Muscogee (Creek) Tribal Courts
Courts of the Mvskoke Nation are open to all tribal citizens. The judiciary settles disputes and imposes justice under tribal law. The Creek Nation has always been a Nation of laws. Many traditional laws are underwritten and passed down from the mikko or trustenugge of each tribal town.
Judicial Branch of the Navajo Nation
Yá’át’ééh! We who work for the public in Aląąjį' Hashkééjí Nahat'á welcome you to our website. It is our intent for this website to provide the public, and practitioners, easy access to information about our justice system and the efforts of Aląąjį' Hashkééjí Nahat'á in carrying out our duties and responsibilities. Utilize the information to foster respect for our laws and the well-being of all human beings.
The Oglala Sioux Tribal Court
Abstract. In 1976, a study by the Judicial Services Division ofthe Bureau of Indian Affairs concluded that insufficient information is available on Indian tribal courts, suggesting that they have been largely ignored by historians and political scientists alike. By examining a specific court the Oglala Sioux Tribal Court afuller understanding ofits vital role in the operation ofthe Pine Ridge Indian Reservation can be gained.
Wisconsin Tribal Courts
A guide to contact information for all eleven Tribal Courts located in Wisconsin.

Tribal Court Print Resources

The Indian Law Reporter, a comprehensive and unique monthly information service that reports cases—primarily in full-text format—from federal, state and tribal courts, as well as administrative agencies, is an essential resource for every individual, agency, government, and other institution that needs to keep abreast of developments in the field of American Indian law. Published continuously since 1974, materials appearing in the Indian Law Reporter are conveniently organized and marked for insertion into a loose-leaf binder divided into the following categories:
- United States Supreme Court opinions and proceedings
- United States Courts of Appeals opinions
- United States District Court opinions
- United States Court of Federal Claims
- State Court opinions
- Tribal Court opinions
- Miscellaneous proceedings (U.S. Tax and Bankruptcy Court decisions, IBIA and IBLA decisions)
-Table of Cases and Topical Index

Link to a comprehensive index to Tribal Court decisions in the Indian Law Reporter.

Indian Tribes as Sovereign Governments: A Sourcebook on Federal-Tribal History, Law, and Policy
"The sourcebook, Indian Tribes as Sovereign Governments, is an invaluable resource for those who may not be familiar with the history of the native peoples of America or the principles of Federal-Indian law and policy. It helps one to understand why, for well over two hundred years, ... native self-determination and tribal self-government have served as the cornerstones of the government-to-government relationship between the United States and native nations."-From the Foreword by U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye