New Student Scholarship on Tribal Courts’ Role in the Federalist Judicial System

Sharon Nunn has published “Correcting Nevada v. Hicks: Recognizing Tribal Courts as Courts of General Subject-Matter Jurisdiction” in the Yale Law Journal.

Here is the abstract:

This Note challenges the Supreme Court’s conclusion in Nevada v. Hicks that tribal courts are not courts of general subject-matter jurisdiction. Tribal courts satisfy the definition of general subject-matter jurisdiction courts: they are primary courts created by nonfederal sovereigns to hear a broad range of cases under their laws. Unlike previous scholarship, this analysis does not premise jurisdiction on near-perfect parity between tribal and state sovereignty, but focuses instead on tribal courts’ function in our federalist system. Recognizing tribal courts as general-jurisdiction courts would affirm tribal sovereignty and enable tribes to hear federal claims critical to self-governance.

Suzan Shown Harjo, Vine Deloria, Sam Deloria, Oren Lyons, Joe de la Cruz

Tribal Law Journal Call for Papers

TLJ is inviting scholarly, practitioner, and student submissions addressing legal issues affecting tribal nations and their internal justice systems. Contributions may include tribal court case comments, reflections on tribal systems, the development of tribal law, the value of tribal law, interviews, and teachings. Submissions are due by August 31, 2026, and chosen work will be published by Spring 2027

40th Annual Coming Together of Peoples Conference, March 19-21, 2026 @ UWisconsin Law School

American Indian Law Review, Vol. 49, Issue 2

Here:

Current Issue: Volume 49, Number 2 (2026)

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Front Pages

Comments

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Cutting the Gordian Knot of Civil Liability: Cross-Deputization Agreements as a Remedy to Jurisdiction and Liability Concerns for Indian Country in Oklahoma
K. Mekko Factor

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A Historical Review of Congressional Plenary Power and Tribal Treaties and the Implications Following Herrera
Skye Hosch Taylor

Note

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Unethical Business Practices Plague Native American Cultures and Economies – Solutions to the Ineffectiveness of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act
Benjamin Amoroso Sinder

Special Features

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A Survivor’s Tale: How the Northern and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma Survived the Tidal Wave Collision of McGirt v. Oklahoma
Darbi E. Robertson

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Winner, Best Appellate Brief in the 2024 Native American Law Student Association Moot Court Competition
Molly Gunther and Kevin Burdet

UCLA Indigenous Peoples’ Journal of Law, Culture & Resistance Call for Submissions

The Indigenous Peoples’ Journal of Law, Culture & Resistance (IPJLCR) is currently accepting submissions for Volume 12, which has a target publication date of Spring 2027. Submissions are being accepted until Sun., March 15, 2026. Email submissions and any questions to: ipjlcr@lawnet.ucla.edu.

IPJLCR is an interdisciplinary law journal housed at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law that focuses on Indigenous legal issues and publishes scholarly articles, legal commentary, poetry, songs, stories, artwork, and other media. We are soliciting scholarly articles, student comments, and art that centers on or relates to legal issues important to Indigenous communities in the United States and throughout the world. We also seek works on issues or aspects of life in Native communities that are impacted by law, whether tribal law or the laws of nation-states.  To access past issues, please visit https://escholarship.org/uc/uclalaw_ipjlcr.

Requirements:

  • Each submission should be sent as one Microsoft Word file with Bluebook formatted citations (22nd ed. 2025) in footnotes;
  • Articles should be less than or equal to 50 pages and include 12 pt Times New Roman font for the body of the manuscript, 10 pt Times New Roman font for footnotes, 1-inch margins, and the author’s name, address, phone number, and email address in the header of the first page;
  • A brief biography.

Tulsa Law Review Symposium Issue

Here:

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Fletcher’s Uncertainty Principle
Matthew L.M. Fletcher

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Tribes as Nations: The Future of the Trust Relationship
Adam Crepelle

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The Unenforceable Indian Trust
Ezra Rosser

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The New Existentialism in Indian Law
M. Alexander Pearl

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Fractionation by Design: Remedy Without Repair in Indigenous-Owned Trust Allotments
Jessica A. Shoemaker

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Tribal Co-Management on Ceded Lands: A New Era?
Michael C. Blumm and Adam Eno

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Original Comic: Tribal-Federal Symbiosis—An Aadioozaan
Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Northwestern Univ. Law School National NALSA Moot Court Call for Judges

The National Native American Law Students Association (NNALSA) is excited to announce that its 34th Annual NNALSA Moot Court Competition will be hosted by Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. The Competition will take place on February 13-14, 2026, at Northwestern Law in Chicago, IL. 

NNALSA was founded in 1970 to support law students who are interested in federal Indian law, tribal law, and traditional forms of governance. Each year, NNALSA sponsors a moot court competition for law students who have a passion for Indian law and litigation.

We ask for your support and invite you to be part of this exciting event by contributing as a volunteer judge. Please fill out this link to share your interest and availability. Ahehee’ (Thank you)!

If you have any questions or comments, please email Colin Tompson at mootcourt@nationalnalsa.org

2025-2026 American Indian Law Review National Writing Competition

Announcing the 2025-2026 American Indian Law Review National Writing Competition

This year’s American Indian Law Review national writing competition is now welcoming papers from students at accredited law schools in the United States and Canada.  Papers will be accepted on any legal issue specifically concerning American Indians or other indigenous peoples.  The winning entry will receive $1,500 and publication by the American Indian Law Review, and will also be awarded an eBook copy of Cohen’s Handbook of Federal Indian Law, provided by LexisNexis

The deadline for entries is Friday, February 27, 2026, at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma College of Law, the American Indian Law Review has proudly served Native and legal communities since 1973.  Each year at this time we encourage law students nationwide to participate in this, the longest-running competition of its kind.  Papers will be judged by a panel of Indian law scholars and by the editors of the Review.

For further information on eligibility, entry requirements, and judging criteria, see the attached PDF rules sheet or the AILR writing competition website at https://law.ou.edu/ailr/wc.