News

Scholarships for Tribal Judges to Attend the 2016 National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference   Through the generosity of Casey Family Programs' Indian Child Welfare Programs, NAICJA is making available a limited number of scholarships to assist tribal judges to attend the 2016 National Tribal Judicial and Court Clerks Conference. The need-based scholarships consist of assistance with the Conference Fees (not to exceed $450.)  Only judges or peacemakers hearing Indian child welfare matters are eligible for funding. Scholarship recipients must attend all Indian child welfare-related training sessions and the pre-conference Indian Child Welfare Act Roundtable. Interested applicants should act fast. Scholarships are issued on a first come, first serve basis until funding is exhausted.  For more information on the the 2016 National Tribal Judicial and Court Clerks Conference, please visit our CONFERENCE PAGE. Eligibility: Only judges or peacemakers hearing Indian child welfare matters (or child abuse and neglect/dependency cases) are eligible for funding. How to Apply: Please submit your completed scholarship FORM online.

NAICJA will be holding a raffle and silent auction as a fundraising event during the 47th Annual Conference at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon,  California.  The conference will take place October 18-21, 2016.  We expect approximately 300 participants, and all the funds raised from this event will be used to support NAICJA and future conferences.

We are in the process of collecting merchandise for the silent auction. Please consider supp0rting our event by donating gift certificates, merchandise or services. In exchange, you will receive some excellent exposure and advertising. The merchandise will be displayed throughout the conference. After the event, should you desire, a thank you will be listed on the NAICJA Website and Facebook. If you are an individual member or your company cannot donate an item please consider calling a few places in your surrounding community to see if they would be willing to donate an item to our silent auction.

If you have any questions, Judge Susan Wells at susiewells@gmail.com or at 907-252-2903.  Additionally, if you do have a donation, please send Susan a description in advance to her email address so that we can begin to set up our auction item advertising and signage.

THANK YOU in advance for considering a contribution to this fun event and for your continued support of NAICJA.

The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) Board of Directors is soliciting nominations for four (4) NAICJA awards: the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Judicial Excellence Award, the Court Support Excellence Award and the Outstanding Service Award.  Please use the 2016 NAICJA Award Nomination form that you can get by contacting Kevin Briscoe at kbriscoe@choctaw.org.  If a nomination was submitted in prior years and the nominator wishes for that prior nomination to be considered (and the person nominated continues to meet the award criteria), please contact NAICJA 1st Vice-President Kevin Briscoe at kbriscoe@choctaw.org or at (601) 650-1658.

Nominations close: August 19, 2016.

The awards will be announced and presented during the 47th National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference, October 19-21, 2016 at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, the crown jewel of beautiful Cabazon, California.

Established in 1969, NAICJA is non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization of present and former tribal court judges, court personnel and other tribal justice system supporters from approximately 300 tribal courts throughout the United States. NAICJA provides support, continuing education and technical assistance to tribal justice systems and seeks to further public knowledge and understanding of tribal courts.

 

Boulder, CO: The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) is pleased to announce that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been memorialized establishing a working relationship between NAICJA and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ). Importantly, the MOU provides for joint membership in the two organizations, allowing NAICJA members access to the resources of both national judicial membership organizations.

 

Established in 1969, NAICJA is a non-profit corporation and the only membership association of tribal court judges and tribal court personnel in the nation. NAICJA’s current projects and goals are concerned with: advocating on behalf of tribal justice systems; securing necessary funding for tribal justice systems so they may continue to excel; providing education and training to tribal judiciaries; providing networking and mentorship opportunities for tribal judiciaries; and improving cooperation between tribal, state, and federal judiciaries.

 

The NCJFCJ, established in 1937, is a non-profit corporation with a primary focus on improving juvenile and family court system practice in the handling of cases involving children, families, and victims of domestic violence. As one of the oldest judicial membership organizations in the nation, the NCJFCJ is unique as a leader in providing continuing education, technical assistance, research, and policy development in the field of juvenile and family justice. Among the myriad current NCJFCJ initiatives, several align closely with NAICJA’s projects and goals and hold promise for potential application and implementation in Indian Country, including: a national network of more than 100 juvenile and family courts that develop and test promising practice; the Juvenile Drug Court Training and Technical Assistance Project; the Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody; and the Family Court Enhancement Project.

 

Beginning on June 1, 2016, new or renewing members of the NAICJA interested in joint membership will pay a $215 fee directly to NAICJA (existing NAICJA members should contact NAICJA directly for details on upgrading to a joint membership).

 

NAICJA is excited to join forces with the NCJFCJ as the two organizations work to strengthen the functions and collaborative opportunities of state and tribal court systems, especially as they pertain to juvenile and family courts. NAICJA encourages its members to take advantage of the joint membership opportunity and the incredible resources available from the NCJFCJ.

 

Contact Information: 

Justice Richard Blake

President, Board of Directors

National American Indian Court Judges Association

Email: president@naicja.org

Phone: (303) 449-4112

Request for Presentation Proposals: 2016 National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference

“Tribal Justice Matters: Role of Tribal Courts in Upholding Indigenous Rights”

The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) invites presentation proposals for the 47th Annual National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference which will be held October 18-21, 2016, at the magnificent Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, CA. NAICJA’s Annual Conference offers innovative and timely tribal justice information through high quality presentations by national experts. The theme of this year’s conference is, “Tribal Justice Matters: Role of Tribal Courts in Upholding Indigenous Rights.” NAICJA is featuring topics that highlight ways in which American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and First Nations justice systems are exercising and upholding tribal inherent rights. We are especially interested in presentations that focus on social justice and human rights, tribal sovereignty, international frameworks for understanding indigenous issues, promising Indian child welfare practices, court security and topics of interest to court clerks and court personnel.

This is your opportunity to share your expertise and display your creativity by developing an original program for presentation. Proposals specifically tailored to meet the needs of the 300-person NAICJA audience are strongly preferred. 

 Proposals are due on or before Friday, April 15, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. (MTN).

Download the RFP Application

Peacemaking is a traditional, community-based method that allows people to resolve disputes. The National American Indian Court Judges Association, the Native American Rights Fund, and Columbia Law School offer this training that reviews foundational principles of peacemaking, peace circles, and traditional dispute resolution. While justice practitioners have been focusing on how indigenous peacemaking can help state and federal courts, this training brings the focus back to indigenous and tribal principles of peacemaking and how tribes are using and can use these methods in their own communities. One full day will be devoted to experiential training with peacemakers and notable faculty from across Indian Country. 

The Northeast Regional Peacemaking Training will take place at the beautiful Sheraton at the Falls in Niagara Falls, NY. NAICJA members receive a 10% discount!

For more information and to register, click here: Northeast Regional Peacemaking Training

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!  Click on this link
https://www.regonline.com/naicja to read about more details and to register for the conference.

The 2016 National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference will take place at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California on October 18-21, 2016!

The conference theme is Tribal Justice Matters: Role of Tribal Courts in Upholding Indigenous Rights.  The conference is open to the public with a fee discount  available for all current NAICJA members.

Last year's conference drew over 200 representatives from tribal justice systems and tribal governments in all ten NAICJA association regions as well as representatives from the non-profit, business, academic, and philanthropic sectors.

Join our mailing list to keep informed on the latest conference news.

2015 NAICJA Memberships expire on 12/31/15 but you can renew now!

Don’t miss out on great member benefits:

• Discounted Conference Registration.
  
• Access to a vast network of tribal court judges and other justice system personnel.
  
• A free subscription to NAICJA’s newsletter.
  
• Inclusion in our listserv that provides notice of tribal court funding opportunities, position openings, training events, legislative initiatives, and recent judicial decisions of relevance to tribal courts.
  

You may renew online at: www.naicja.org/membership.

In accordance with NAICJA Bylaws, Article V, Sec. 3, you are hereby notified that the Annual Meeting of the National American Indian Court Judges Association ("NAICJA") will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room C & D at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, 310 4th St., Niagara Falls, NY 14303. The Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with NAICJA's 46th Annual National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference, "Tribal Justice Systems: Pathways to Healing & Sovereignty," which are being held from October 6-9, 2015. The NAICJA Conference will kick off on October 6 at 6:00 pm with a Welcome Reception at the same location. Please remember to pay your annual dues for 2015 and to register (and submit conference fee) for the conference if you plan to attend.  

Annual Meeting Agenda

9:00 a.m.

Call to Order: Hon. Richard Blake, President, NAICJA Board of Directors

Roll Call:  Hon. Amanda White Eagle, NAICJA Secretary

In Memoriam: Remembrances of NAICJA Members
Presented by: Hon. Kevin Briscoe, Vice-President NAICJA Board of Directors

"The State of NAICJA":  Hon. Richard Blake, President, NAICJA Board of Directors

Treasurer's Report:  Hon. Winona Tanner, NAICJA Treasurer

10:00 a.m. 

Break

Regional Elections

Certification of Regional Election Results
Hon. Amanda White Eagle, NAICJA Secretary and
Hon. Kevin Briscoe, Vice-President NAICJA Board of Directors

Election of NAICJA officers and Executive Committee At-Large Member (By Board of Directors):
Hon. Susan Wells, NAICJA Board Member, Region 9

11:00 a.m.         

Adjourn: Hon. Richard Blake, President, NAICJA Board of Directors

The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) invites presentation proposals for the 46^th Annual National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference which will be held on October 6-9, 2015 at Seneca Niagara Resort Casino in stunning Niagara Falls, NY.  NAICJA’s Annual Conference offers innovative and timely tribal justice information through high quality presentations by national experts. The theme of this year’s conference is, “Tribal Justice Systems: Pathways to Healing &Sovereignty.”  NAICJA is featuring topics that highlight ways in which American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and First Nations justice systems are exercising tribal inherent sovereignty and envisioning their tribal justice systems to better effectuate healing and wholeness. We are especially interested in presentations that focus on promising Indian child welfare practices. We expected a conference attendance of approximately 300 persons from across the U.S.

This is your opportunity to share your expertise and display your creativity by developing an original program for presentation. Proposals specifically tailored to meet the needs of the NAICJA audience are strongly preferred. Proposals are due on or before

Important Dates:
March 25, 2015–proposals due
April 3, 2015—all applicants will be notified about the status of their proposals.