Turtle Talk

SACRAMENTO – Insufficient services, severe underfunding, barriers preventing tribal participation and inadequate reunification efforts have undermined the effectiveness and promise of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in California, according to a preliminary report from a Task Force of tribal leaders from across the state, working independently to apprise the California’s Attorney General’s Bureau of Children’s Justice of these inadequacies.

The ICWA Compliance Task Force’s report recognizes that efforts have been undertaken to overcome cultural, procedural and funding challenges, but these ongoing obstacles continue to severely limit the implementation of ICWA in California, resulting in devastating impacts to Indian children, their families and their tribes.

Samantha Bee on Dollar General and Tribal Courts

June 21, 2016Kate Fort2 Comments

More Rejected Filings in Galanda v. Bernard

June 21, 2016Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

Galanda v Bernard Rejected Second Declaration of Gabriel S. Galands in Support of Motion for Injunction

In re Gabriel Galanda v Nooksack Tribal Court Rejected Fourth Declaration of Gabriel S. Galanda in Support of Writ Petitions

U.S. Forest Service Tribal Relations Specialist

June 20, 2016June 20, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Download outreach notice here.

Ninth Circuit Materials in Keli’i Akina v. State of Hawaii

June 20, 2016Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here:

Appellant Supplemental Brief

Na’i Aupuni Answer Brief

Na’i Aupuni Supplemental Brief

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Answer Brief

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Supplemental Brief

Opening Brief

State Supplemental Brief

Oral argument video and audio.

2017 Summer Associate – Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP

June 20, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson, & Perry LLP is a national law firm dedicated to representing Native American interests in a wide range of endeavors – including trial and appellate litigation, federal Indian law, tribal law, Indian self-determination and self-governance matters, transportation and infrastructure, natural resources, and economic development, among others.

They are currently recruiting incoming 2L students for 2017 summer associate positions. Interested applicants should send the following to Will Stephens, Partner, at wstephens@sonosky.com (please also copy kwray@sonosky.com):

Cover letter;
Resume;
Transcript; and
Writing sample (a writing sample relevant to our practice area is preferred, but not necessary).

Interested applicants should send this information no later than Wednesday, August 31, 2016. More detail about the firm is available at http://www.sonosky.com.

National Indian Law Library Bulletin (6/17/2016)

June 20, 2016Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

The National Indian Law Library added new content to the Indian Law Bulletins on 6/17/16.

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/sct/2015-2016update.html
Petition for certiorari was filed on 6/13/16 in Lewis v. Clarke (Tribal Sovereign Immunity – Damages Actions Against Tribal Employees)
Find the latest Tribal Supreme Court Update Memoranda of June 15, 2016, at the Tribal Supreme Court Project website.

State Courts Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/state/2016state.html
O’Brien v. Berry (Protective Order – Precluded by Tribal Court Proceedings)
State, ex rel. Children, Youth and Families Department v. Nathan H. (Indian Child Welfare Act – Application of)

News Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/currentnews.html
We feature a couple of articles about the U.S. Supreme Court decision relating to the 6th Amendment and prior tribal court convictions impacting treatment of criminal defendants.

U.S. Legislatio n Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/legislation/114_uslegislation.html
The Native American Children’s Safety Act became law.
We added one new bill:
H.R.5486: To reaffirm that certain land has been taken into trust for the benefit of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and for other purposes.

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/2016lr.html
These articles were added:
Everything old is new again: Enforcing tribal treaty provisions to protect climate change-threatened resources.
Going “all-in” against the NLRB: How tribal self-government lost on the river in the Sixth Circuit [Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort v. NLRB, 791 F.3d 648 (6th Cir. 2015)].
A tiny fish and a big problem: Natives, elvers, and the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980.
Plenary energy.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin
http://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/regulatory/2016fr.html
We feature the new Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Child Welfare Act regulations.