Tribal Sovereignty Protection Initiative

Since time immemorial Indians and Indian tribes have historically enjoyed the protection of the federal courts including the United States Supreme Court from those who have attacked tribal sovereignty. Without this judicial protection, not only would tribal sovereignty be severely diminished but perhaps even done away with. This judicial protection may no longer exist if the latest rulings (Hicks and Atkinson) of the United States Supreme Court signal a new trend of tantamount to "judicial termination." Many Indian Law experts believe this to be the case.

The Indian community led by the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Funds have responded to this new form of threat. A committee of Indian law experts and leaders was formed to consider how the Indian community should respond. The result of their year-long work is the formation of draft legislation known as the Sovereignty Protection Initiative. This links below provide more information about this united effort and the SPI.

Click on the Resource name to view more information. To suggest a link, send an email to mail@ntjrc.org.

Articles

• NCAI/NARF Tribal Supreme Court Project Memo   
• Three Tribal Leader Meetings Agenda July 22-24, Oregon   
• Brief for Amici Curiae NCAI, NIGA, & Tribes in Support of Respondents    
• Tribal Sovereignty Protection Initiative article by Eugene White, President of NAICJA
• NAICJA Tribal Sovereignty Protection Initiative Meeting Letter
• NAICJA Tribal Sovereignty Proection Initiative Meeting Information
• Concept Paper: 2003 Legislative Proposal on Tribal Governance and Economic Enhancement   
• December 11 Tribal Sovereignty Protection Initiative Agenda   
• NCAI Resolution #SD-02-005: To Amend the July 25,2002 Tribal Sovereignty Protection Bill Draft to Protect Tribal Traditional and Customary Governance   
• NCAI Resolution #SD-02-105: Continued Support for a Legislative Process to Address Tribal Concerns over Recent U.S. Supreme Court Decisions Involving Tribal Jurisdiction as Part of the National Tribal Sovereignty Protection Initiative   
• December 11 Meeting Notice   
• Summary of September 11, 2001, Tribal Leaders Forum, "Nevada v. Hicks and the Supreme Court's Erosion of Tribal Jurisdiction"   
• U.S. Supreme Court Forces Disclosure of Tribal Trust Documents, Legislative Update #337, 03/06/01   

Supreme Court Decisions

• Nevada v. Hicks   
• Atkinson Trading Company v. Shirley   
• C&L Enterprises v. Citizen Band of Potawatomi Indian Tribe of Oklahoma   
• Interior Department v. Klamath Water Users Protective Association    
• Idaho v. U.S.   
• Inyo County v. Bishop Paiute Tribe   

Involved Organizations

• National Congress of American Indians
• Native American Rights Fund
• National American Indian Court Judges Association

Associations & Organizations

Sovereignty Protection Initative
Provides many links to Sovereignty articles and supreme court decisions