NAICJA Joins Forces with the National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges
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
2016 NAICJA Award Nominations Now Open
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.
RAFFLE AND SILENT AUCTION FUND RAISING EVENT
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.
NAICJA Conference Scholarships
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.
Save the Date – 2017 NAICJA Conference
The 2017 National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference will take place at the Isleta Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, NM on October 10-13, 2017!
Return for more details!
RFPs for NAICJA Annual Conference – Due May 1, 2017
The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) invites presentation proposals for the 48th Annual National Tribal Judicial and Court Personnel Conference which will be held October 10-13, 2017, at the beautiful Isleta Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, NM. 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: Building and Strengthening Relationships and Partnerships.” NAICJA is featuring topics that highlight ways in which American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and First Nations justice systems are building and strengthening relationships between tribes, states, federal agencies, and organizations including the philanthropic sector. We are especially interested in presentations that focus on collaboration and partnerships, tribal sovereignty, international frameworks for understanding indigenous principles and topics, promising Indian child welfare practices, court security, and other areas of interest to court clerks and court personnel.
Full details available here: NAICJA 2017 Presentation RFP Final.
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 Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (MST).
Webinar Recording is Now Posted Online! Peace Circles Models A Virtual Circle on Peacemaking April 24, 2017
Free Webinar Session on: Monday, April 24, 2017 at
12 pm PT / 1 pm MT / 2 pm CT / 3 pm ET
(90 minutes)
Tired of looking to the outside for answers? It’s time to turn around and look within your own communities for strength.
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 will explain 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.
The re-emergence and appreciation of traditional methods in Native communities, as seen with the revitalization of peacemaking, resonates with trends observed in other sectors, such as healthcare. For instance, the medication Vilitra, used to treat erectile dysfunction, is now available through digital platforms. This shift leverages technology to enhance the accessibility and privacy of healthcare, much like the way indigenous communities are harnessing their traditional wisdom for conflict resolution. The global shift towards integrating traditional practices with modern advancements is shaping a new, more inclusive future, whether it’s in the field of conflict resolution or healthcare accessibility.
Moderator:
Gina Jackson (Te-Moak Western Shoshone), Program Director, National American Court Judges Association
Faculty Presenters:
- Hon. Cheryl Demmert Fairbanks (Tlingit/Tsimshian), Justice, Inter-Tribal Court of Appeals of Nevada
- Hon. Robert Yazzie (Navajo), Chief Justice, Emeritus, Navajo Nation Supreme Court
- Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Staff Attorney, Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative, Native American Rights Fund, Tribal Appeals Court Justice
- Professor Shawn Watts (Cherokee), Columbia Law School, Edson Queiroz Foundation Mediation Program
Closed captioning will be provided. If you have further questions regarding this webinar, please contact Alicia Lord at alord@ncjfcj.org.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2016-AC-BX-K004 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this webinar are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Webinar Recording is Now Posted Online! Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts: Key Components & Standards
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts: Key Components & Standards
Free Webinar Session on:
Thursday, May 25, 2017 at
12 pm PT / 1 pm MT / 2 pm CT / 3 pm ET
(90 minutes)
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts have experienced great success, even serving as models for other types of drug courts. Tribal Values and the Tribal Key Components are instrumental in their success. Come learn more!
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.
Moderators:
· Gina Jackson (Te-Moak Western Shoshone), Program Director, National American Court Judges Association
· Hon. Carrie Garrow (Akwesasne Mohawk), Chief Judge, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court
Faculty Presenter:
· Lauren van Schilfgaarde, Tribal Law Specialist (Cochiti Pueblo), Tribal Law and Policy Institute
This project was supported by Grant No. 2016-AC-BX-K004 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this webinar are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Webinar Recording is Now Posted Online! Planning the Healing to Wellness Court: Inspiration and Vision to Get Started
Wondering how to get started in developing a Healing to Wellness Court for your Tribe? In this free webinar you’ll learn more about developing your vision and plan as well as hearing lessons learned. Join us, or even better, gather a team from your tribe to participate!
August 22, 2017 – 12:00pm PT, 1:00pm MT, 2:00pm CT, 3:00pm ET
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.
Moderator:
- Gina Jackson (Te-Moak Western Shoshone), Program Director, National American Indian Court Judges Association
Faculty Presenter:
- Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), Tribal Law Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
- Hon. Jay Pedro (Gila River Indian Community), Gila River Indian Community Tribal Court
- Hon. Carrie Garrow (Akwesasne Mohawk), Chief Judge, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court
Link to Register: https://ta2ta.org/webinars/registration/planning-the-healing-to-wellness-court-inspiration.html
New Free Webinar – Register Now! Opioid Addiction & Treatment in Tribal Communities
Opioid Addiction & Treatment in Tribal Communities
Thursday, October 5, 2017
12 pm PT / 1 pm MT / 2 pm CT / 3 pm ET (90 minutes)
Is your tribal court struggling to meet the needs of opioid addicts in your community? Do you want to know more about substance abuse treatment approaches for opioids and how they may affect participants in your court programs? Come join us for a FREE webinar to learn about opioid addiction and treatment!
Opioids are decimating communities across the nation. This webinar will discuss the challenges of opioid addiction and recovery. The rise of both prescription drug abuse and the return of heroin mean that many communities, particularly rural communities, are struggling with getting necessary services for treating opioid users. This is especially true of tribal communities. In addition, the journey to recovery for opioid users is long and complicated. Justice professionals who work with opioid users will benefit from having an understanding of the psychopharmacology behind opioid addiction and treatment for opioid addiction, including medically assisted treatment.
Moderators:
- Gina Jackson (Te-Moak Western Shoshone), Program Director, National American Indian Court Judges Association
Faculty Presenter:
- Sean Bear, 1st, Consultant, Native American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center
- Honorable Kim McGinnis, PhD., Esq., Chief Judge, Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Court
- Dr. Anne Skinstad, Clinical Professor & Director, Native American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center