Historic Tribal Family Adoption on Seminole Reservation

From The Seminole Tribune article:

“The ceremony was historic because it was the first time a Tribal family adoption was finalized on a Seminole Reservation – this one taking place in the Tribal headquarters auditorium.

The adoption was made possible through a collaborative effort involving Tribal Court officials, Circuit Court Judge Jose Izquierdo of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida and other state agencies.”

Muscogee Freedmen Descendants Forced to Exhaust Tribal Remedies

Here is the order in Muscogee Creek Indian Freedmen Band v. Bernhardt (D.D.C.):

29 DCT Order

Briefs here.

National Indian Law Library Bulletin (5/7/2019)

Here:

The National Indian Law Library added new content to the Indian Law Bulletins on 5/8/19.

Federal Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/2019.html
Muscogee Creek Indian Freedman Band, Inc. v. David Bernhardt  (Exhaustion of Tribal Remedies) 
Tolowa Nation v. United States of America (Federal Recognition)

State Courts Bulletin 
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/state/2019.html
T.W. v. Shelby County Department of Human Resources (Indian Child Welfare Act – Expert Witnesses) 

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin (contact us if you need help finding a copy of an article) 
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/2019.html

  • A comparison of American indigenous tribes and Chinese indigenous tribes with respect to recognition and legal policy. 
  • Book Review. Killers of the flower moon: the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI. By David Grann. New York: Doubleday. 2017. 
  • From exploitation to equity: Building Native-owned renewable energy generation in Indian Country. 
  • Fulfilling climate justice and government obligations to Alaska Native villages: What is the government role? 

News Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/currentnews.html
In the Intergovernmental section, we feature a Senate Indian Affairs Committee report on self-governance by Indian tribes. 

Regulatory Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/regulatory/2019.html
We feature notice of the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, pertaining to land proclamations for two Indian tribes. 

Legislation Bulletin 
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/legislation/116_uslegislation.html

  • S.Res.190: A resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2019, which include bringing attention to the health disparities faced by minority populations of the United States such as American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders.
  • H.R.2496: To provide the right of American Indians born in Canada or the United States to pass the borders of the United States to any individual who is a member, or is eligible to be a member, of a federally recognized Indian tribe in the United States or Canada, and for other purposes. 
  • H.R.2484: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat Indian tribal governments in the same manner as State governments for certain Federal tax purposes, and for other purposes. 
  • S.1307: A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to improve nutrition in tribal areas, and for other purposes.
  • S.1329: A bill to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require that equitable distribution of assistance include equitable distribution in Indian tribes and tribal organizations and to increase amounts reserved for allotment to Indian tribes and tribal organizations under certain circumstances, and to provide for a Government Accountability Office report on child abuse and neglect in American Indian tribal communities.

Tenth Circuit Holds BLM Violated NEPA in Approving Chaco Canyon Fracking

Here is the opinion in Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment v. Bernhardt.

Briefs here.

Friday Job Announcements

Job vacancies are posted on Fridays. Any posts received prior to 12pm EST on Friday will appear in that Friday’s announcements. If you would like to submit a post for an open Indian law or leadership job, please send the following to indigenous@law.msu.edu:

  1. In the email body, a typed brief description of the position which includes position title, location, main duties, and closing date;
  2. An attached PDF job announcement.

 

Washington Indian Gaming Association

Deputy Director, Olympia, WA. The major area that the Deputy Director is involved in includes supporting the government to government relationship that tribes have with the state of Washington. For more information please see the job description.

University of Arkansas

Program Officer, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, Fayetteville, AR. The Program Officer is responsible for participating in the comprehensive development, execution, and maintenance of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative’s (IFAI) core work: developing strategies and solutions to empower Tribal governments and Native food producers in food and agriculture food system development. For more information please visit the link. Applications close May 6, 2019.

EarthJustice

Managing Attorney, Northeast Office, New York, NY. Provide litigation leadership by working collaboratively with attorneys to maximize the quality and impact of the office’s litigation. Manage, develop, and implement regional strategies that align with organization-wide strategic plans, core values, priorities, and other administrative policies and guidance. Oversee overall operations of the office, including budgets and facilities.  For more information please see the job description. Closing date of application is May 17th, 2019. Application email: applications@gumbspartners.com.

Dakota Plains Legal Services

Managing Attorney, Eagle Butte, SD. The Eagle Butte office serves Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota and Dewey, Haakon, Potter and Ziebach counties in South Dakota. For more information please see the job description.

Managing Attorney, Pine Ridge, SD. The Pine Ridge office serves the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and Oglala Lakota, Jackson and Bennett counties in South Dakota. For more information please see the job description.

Staff Attorney, Mission, SD. The Mission office serves the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation and Gregory, Jones, Mellette, Todd and Tripp counties in South Dakota. For more information please see the job description.

Staff Attorney, Sioux Falls, SD. The  Sioux Falls office serves primarily Native Americans in the vicinity of Sioux Falls and in the eastern half of South Dakota. This job requires at least two days of travel every week. For more information please see the job description.

Rosette, LLP

Transactional Attorney, Sacramento, CA. This position includes contract review and drafting, secured financing transactions, and in-house counsel work advising clients on material contracts. The firm specializes in representing federally recognized Indian tribes and their businesses. For more information please see the job description.

Litigation Attorney, Sacramento, CA. This position includes handling complex litigation in tribal, state and/or federal courts. The firm specializes in representing federally recognized Indian Tribes and their governmental agencies. For more information please see the job description.

National Indian Gaming Commission

Training Coordinator, Washington, DC. This position is in the Training Program under the supervision of the Training Manager within the Division of Compliance under the Office of the Chief of Staff and is responsible for collecting, organizing, monitoring, and distributing information related to training projects and initiatives. Application closes May 16, 2019. Please see the job description for more information.

Pueblo of Laguna

Attorney, Laguna, NM. Under the direct administrative supervision of the Government Affairs Director, serves as an in-house legal advisor, representative, and counselor. Ensures the adherence to applicable laws to protect and enhance tribal sovereignty, to avoid or prevent expensive legal disputes and litigation, and to protect the legal interests of the Pueblo government. For more information please see the job description. Note: the announcement states the closing date as May 3, but it will be extended for at least a couple of more weeks.

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Law Clerk PT, Onamia, MN. Seeking 2nd or 3rd year law students who may be interested in working in the field of federal Indian Law and tribal law. The Law Clerk is responsible for assisting the Tribal Court judiciary with legal research, drafting of court decisions and special court development projects.  For more information please see the description.

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

Tribal Attorney, Belcourt, ND. Under the direction of the General Counsel, the Tribal Attorney – represents the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in government matters, child protection matters, policy and law development. The position is also responsible for performing the duties of the Prosecutor’s Office related to child welfare and related cases in the absence of the Tribal Prosecutor. this position is open until filled. For more information please see the job description.

Tribal Attorney II, Belcourt, ND. Under the direction of the General Counsel, the Tribal Attorney – represents the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in government matters, child protection matters, policy and law development. The position is also responsible for performing the duties of the Prosecutor’s Office related to child welfare and related cases in the absence of the Tribal Prosecutor. This position is open until filled. For more information please see the job description.

Ryerson University

Founding Dean, Toronto, ON. Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President, Academic and part of Ryerson’s senior administration, the Founding Dean, Faculty of Law will be responsible for all academic, administrative, and external activities of Ontario’s newest law school. For more information please see the job description.

 

See posts from April 26, 2019.

National Indian Law Library Bulletin (5/3/2019)

Here:

The National Indian Law Library added new content to the Indian Law Bulletins on 5/2/19.

Federal Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/2019.html
Stockbridge-Munsee Community v. Wisconsin.  (Gaming; Statute of Limitation; Sovereign Immunity)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin (contact us if you need help finding a copy of an article) 
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/2019.html

  • A tribal counsel’s guide to corporate compliance.
  • Lobbying as a strategy for tribal resilience. 
  • The reports of our death are greatly exaggerated–reflections on the resilience of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York. 
  • Changing family courts to help heal and build resilient families. 
  • Sovereign Resilience: Reviving private-sector economic institutions in Indian Country. 
  • Cultivating professional identity and resilience through the study of federal Indian law. 
  • Establishing paternity under the Indian Child Welfare Act. 
  • Uncounseled tribal court convictions as predicate offenses under United States v. Bryant.
  • Building Indian Country’s future through food, agriculture, infrastructure, and economic development in the 2018 Farm Bill. 
  • Food localization: Empowering community food systems through the Farm Bill. 
  • Sovereign immunity for rent: How the commodification of Tribal sovereign immunity reflects the failures of the U.S. patent system.
  • The fight over Columbia Basin salmon spills and the future of the Lower Snake River Dams. 
  • The hybrid nature of the property clause: Implications for judicial review of National Monument reductions.

News Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/currentnews.html
In the Education section, we feature articles about groups working for accurate depiction of Native American history in schools. 

Regulatory Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/regulatory/2019.html
We feature a notice of the Fish and Wildlife Service seeking public comment on rule revisions pertaining to the religious use of federally protected bird feathers. 

Legislation Bulletin 
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/legislation/116_uslegislation.html

  • S.2438: Not Invisible Act of 2019
  • S.2459: To approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Hualapai Tribe and certain allottees in the State of Arizona, to authorize construction of a water project relating to those water rights claims, and for other purposes. 
  • S.1232: A bill to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to provide funds to States and Indian Tribes for the purpose of promoting economic revitalization, diversification, and development in economically distressed communities through the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by coal mining carried out before August 3, 1977, and for other purposes.

Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Directors Seek Public Comment on Social Studies Standards

PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN FROM: APRIL 10, 2019-MAY 9, 2019

Announcement/guidance form here.

To comment online, use the online Social Studies Standard Survey. Scroll to the second paragraph and click “online survey.” For more information and suggestions, see pages 3-4 of the announcement.

Upcoming Listen & Learn Meetings

To comment in person, attend a meeting below and fill out a form requesting to speak. For more information, see page 2 of the announcement.

Lansing May 2 6:00-8:00pm today!
Michigan Historical Center and Library, 702 W. Kalamazoo, Lansing, MI 48915

Grand Rapids May 6 6:00-8:00pm
Kent Intermediate School District
2930 Knapp Road
Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Gaylord May 7 6:00-8:00pm
University Center Gaylord
80 Livingston Blvd.
Gaylord, MI 49735

Sault Ste. Marie May 8 6:00-8:00pm
Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District
315 Armory Place
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

Escanaba May 9 6:00-8:00pm
Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District
2525 3rd Avenue S.
Escanaba, MI 49829

NIGC Affirms Approval of Ponca Tribe’s Gaming Ordinance on Remand from Federal Court

Here is the order in In re: Gaming Ordinance of Ponca Tribe of Nebraska:

Revised Amendment to FDO – Ponca NE

The earlier federal court materials are here.

Pre-Law Workshop in Los Angeles

Apply to the FREE Native Pre-Law Workshop co-hosted by California Indian Law Association and the National Native American Bar Association, June 7-8, 2019 in Los Angeles. Students who complete the workshop will receive an LSAT prep course scholarship, be paired with an attorney mentor, and will be welcomed into the California Indian Law community by receiving complementary registration to the 19th Annual California Indian Law Conference October 3-4, 2019 at Graton Resort and Casino.

Applications are due this Friday, May 3, 2019.

While this program is geared towards current undergraduates, others who are thinking of applying to law school are welcome to apply.