I heard from a listserv that the ABA has approved a resolution to strengthen tribal jurisdiction specifically over non-Indian perpetrators of domestic violence and that the resolution also urges that the reauthorization of VAWA include the tribal jurisdiction provisions.
While I was not able to find the text of the resolution on the ABA website, I did find this list of additional and late resolutions on the ABA site (see bottom of page): 2012_hod_annual_meeting_late_resolutions.authcheckdam
Congratulations to Arlinda!
Here is her bio (from the ABA website):
Arlinda Locklear, of Arlinda Locklear Law Office in Washington, D.C., began her career as an attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. During her 35-year career in federal Indian law, she has represented tribes throughout the country in federal and state courts on treaty claims to water and land, taxation disputes with states and local authorities, reservation boundary issues, and federal recognition of tribes. In 1984, Locklear appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, where she successfully challenged South Dakota’s authority to prosecute a Native American for on-reservation conduct. In doing so, she was the first Native American woman to appear before the Court. Since that time, five other Native American women have argued before the Supreme Court. Her goal always is to give back to her community and other Native American communities, and Locklear has received numerous awards for fostering the development of women, among them a 2008 honor for her contributions to the American Indian community by the Conference of American Indian Women of Proud Nations.
Other recipients include:
Link here.
Here is the ABA’s announcement and here is a blog profile of the award.
H/T to G.G.
Here’s a link to the ABA’s resolution.
From the ABA:
On February 12, 2009, at the request of American Bar Association President, H. Thomas Wells, Jr., Mary L. Smith will testify at the “State of Diversity in the Legal Profession” hearing at the ABA Mid-Year Meeting in Boston, MA. Ms. Smith will discuss issues of concern to women and Native Americans in the legal profession, particularly, the crisis situation of public safety issues in Indian Country and also the “box checking” issue on law school applications.
Ms. Smith is the National Native American Bar Association’s delegate to the ABA House of Delegates and is the first tribally-enrolled Commissioner and Chair of the Women of Color Committee for the ABA’s Commission on Women in the Profession. (As many of you already know she is also one of our council members and very active in the work of the committees).
Here is her prepared testimony — diversity_hearing_testimony1
Turtle Talk 