The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) in collaboration with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) have joined together to develop a free tribal justice webinar series! Working closely with partners, the Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) on the Healing to Wellness webinars and the Native American Rights Fund’s Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative (IPI) for the Peace Circles webinar. See naicja.org for more information on upcoming training and the NAICJA National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference.

Tribal Justice Webinar – Planning a Healing to Wellness Court: Inspiration and Vision (8/22/17)

Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts bring together community-healing resources with the tribal justice process, using a team approach to achieve the physical and spiritual healing of the participant and the well-being of the community. This webinar will walk participants through the visioning and foundation planning process to begin the development and implementation of a Healing to Wellness Court. Focus will be given to the key partners needed, as well as primary components that should eventually be reflected in your policies and procedures. You’ll hear firsthand from seasoned tribal judges who will share reflections, tips, and lessons learned about their experience with developing their own Healing to Wellness Court.

Tribal Justice Webinar – Trauma-Informed Court Systems: A Webinar for Tribal Communities (7/27/17)

Research continues to clarify how traumatic experiences negatively impact the way traumatized people interact with the world. When an individual becomes court-involved it is highly likely that they have experienced some level of trauma. If the court system is not trauma-informed they can be re-traumatized, often triggering harmful reactions. Tribal communities have the challenge of addressing the traumatic experiences of individuals while at the same time dealing with the after effects of historical and intergenerational traumatic patterns that have affected entire communities. However, tribes also have strengths found in their traditional teachings that provide inspiration for strategies to address trauma in all its forms. This webinar will explain what is meant by the phrase trauma-informed courts, provide data about challenges facing tribes around the country, discuss how trauma looks in the court setting, and then provide practical ideas about how to incorporate both traditional values and research-based strategies to make tribal court systems not only trauma-informed but trauma-responsive.

Tribal Justice Webinar – Healing to Wellness Courts Key Components and Standards (5/25/17)

The Tribal Key Components form the foundation of all tribal drug courts. The Adult Drug Court Standards represent the latest research-based best practices for what works within the drug court setting. Applicants for Wellness Court federal funding are now being asked to abide by both documents. This webinar overviews both the key components and the Standards, and discuss how they inter-relate. This webinar is designed for those less familiar with the Wellness Court model and those seeking to use these documents to apply for federal funding and/or integrate into their own Wellness Court.

Tribal Justice Webinar – Peace Circles: A Virtual Circle on Peacemaking (4/26/17)

Peacemaking is not alternative dispute resolution to Native communities – it is the original, traditional way our communities managed to work through disputes for centuries before tribal courts were created. Because of natural limitations inherent in tribal courts, there is increasing interest in the continuation and revitalization of those traditional ways.

This webinar explains how tribal traditions may hold a solution to some problems that have proven especially difficult in tribal court, provide some examples of how other tribes have had success, and explain how this movement is part of a bigger picture, even internationally, of how indigenous communities are using their own wisdom to solve their problems. Speakers include well known and seasoned Peacemakers including NARF Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative staff and advisory committee members.