MARCH 25, 2020: ADMINISTERING JUSTICE IN TRIBAL COURTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A VIRTUAL TALKING CIRCLE.

PANELISTS: HON. GREGORY BIGLER, HON. CHERYL DEMMERT FAIRBANKS, HON. CARRIE GARROW, HON. PATRICIA LENZI, AND HON. JOSEPH WISEMAN.

MODERATOR: NIKKI BORCHARDT CAMPBELL, NAICJA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

FEBRUARY 21, 2020: THREE TAILS ON ONE RABBIT: PRESERVING JUSTICE THROUGH TRADITIONAL, INTERNATIONAL AND FEDERAL SYSTEMS, THE UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.

Tribal court judges, often unknowingly, fill multiple needs within tribal systems. First, they adjudicate disputes. Second, they are the focal point of attacks, or preservation of, sovereignty of tribes. The federal system often in an off-hand manner assaults our tribal adjudicatory processes as illustrated in U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments and decisions. Third, we can function as a tribal mechanism for institutionalizing our culture, social structures and traditional processes, carrying our tribal systems into the future. We will give examples of each of these threads through stories, documents, laws and history.

FACULTY:

HON. GREGORY BIGLER, MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION DISTRICT COURT; APPELLATE JUDGE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT NATION; SUPREME COURT JUDGE OF IOWA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA; CHIEF JUSTICE SUPREME COURT KICKAPOO TRIBE IN KANSAS; SUPREME COURT JUSTICE QUAPAW TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA.

PROFESSOR KRISTEN CARPENTER, COUNCIL TREE PROFESSOR OF LAW AND DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN LAW PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO LAW SCHOOL. PROFESSOR CARPENTER ALSO SERVES ON THE UNITED NATIONS EXPERT MECHANISM ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AS ITS MEMBER FROM NORTH AMERICA.

MODERATORS:

REBEKAH HORSECHIEF (OSAGE), PROGRAM COORDINATOR, NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN COURT JUDGES ASSOCIATION

ANSLEY SHERMAN MUSCOGEE (CREEK), PROGRAM ATTORNEY, NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN COURT JUDGES ASSOCIATION.

JULY 19, 2019: ADDRESSING SECONDARY TRAUMA IN TRIBAL COURT STAFF

Secondary Trauma results in professionals who work with those who have experienced trauma. Tribal court and tribal social service professionals  spend their days working with and providing support to clients who have experienced trauma. This secondary trauma can result in burnout among staff. It is important for Tribal Court staff to engage in practices to address their secondary trauma in order to effectively serve the children and families in their courts. This session will explore secondary trauma and provide participants with practical culturally specific tools to help them deal with the secondary trauma.

FACULTY:

HON. CHERYL DEMMERT FAIRBANKS (TLINGIT/TSIMSHIAN), JUSTICE, INTER-TRIBAL COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA

MODERATOR:

REBEKAH HORSECHIEF (OSAGE), PROGRAM COORDINATOR, NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN COURT JUDGES ASSOCIATION