Native American Law Blog

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year......

.....to all of our readers, friends, and even our adversaries.  Have a peaceful and rewarding holiday.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

 

twp

Challenge to Cobell Settlement brought by descendants of slaves

From courthousenews.com:

"Descendants of slaves owned by the so-called Five Civilized Tribes challenged the $3.4 billion class action settlement in Elouise Cobell et al. v. Ken Salazar, in a class action of their own. The Harvest Institute Freedman Federation says the Cobell settlement was racially discriminatory, with the United States paying off descendants of treasonous Indian slave-owners who took the South's side in the Civil War, while stiffing descendants of the Indians' slaves." 

You can read the full story HERE.

 

twp

Another upcoming conference....

National Tribal Trial College: Victim Rights in Tribal, State, Federal & CFR Courts

January 19-20, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM


This Southwest Center for Law and Policy, Office on Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice training will provide participants with the skills necessary to advance the rights of Native Victims of domestic and sexual violence, dating violence, elder abuse, and abuse of persons with disabilities in a variety of jurisdictions.  All course work is taught by Indian Country legal, advocacy, and criminal justice experts and includes interactive, hands-on skills based training conducted in small group settings. 

Please register on-line at www.swclap.org by January 7, 2011.

Registration, Transportation and Lodging 
Registration is free. Participants are responsible for making and paying for their own travel and lodging arrangements. Please make your hotel reservation by calling 1-800-334-2086.  There are a limited number of rooms at the discounted, federal per diem rate of $81/per night/single, $101/double for reservations made no later than January 7, 2011. Please mention the National Tribal Trial College when making your reservation.

Conference Hotel
Albuquerque Marriott
2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM

Please contact us at info@swclap.org for additional information.

 

This just in - save the dates for the FedBar Indian Law conference

SAVE THE DATE!

Hilton Buffalo Thunder
Santa Fe, NM

Reservations can be made by calling 1.800.HILTONS.  The rate is $144/night and will be available until Monday, April 4, 2011.

More information to follow...

Date

April 7 - 8, 2011

 

Feinstein will block "Carcieri fix" in order to block off-reservation casinos

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D - Ca), promised that "if the Senate takes up a Carcieri fix bill, whe will bring forward legislation to "stop reservation shopping once and for all" in California.  

Read the full story HERE in Indian Country Today.

So will Feinstein screw every tribe in the nation just to stop California tribes from building a few more casinos closer to urban areas in her state?  That's sure what it looks like.  Thing is, the "Carcieri fix" as proposed has nothing directly to do with the section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that sets the process for building off-reservation gaming facilities on land acquired after 1988.

 

twp

Survey to assist in NARF's Access to Tribal Law Project

NARF is trying to get as much input as possible. If you can spare a moment from your busy life, please click on the link below to take a short survey.

-Carolyn

_______________________________________

Please take our short survey.

Here at the National Indian Law Library, James Bryant and I are ramping up our efforts to increase access to current tribal codes and constitutions. We have assembled a short survey (takes 5 – 10 minutes to complete) asking for your opinions on the importance of tribal law access.

The purpose of this survey is to gather opinions and stories that will help NILL develop the best strategies for increased participation on our Access to Tribal Law Project. Fill out the survey and submit your story and you may be the winner of one of the 12 Charles Wilkinson books we are giving away!

Thanks for your time.  Take the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9MLR6CF

James Bryant & David Selden
National Indian Law Library/NARF

President Obama Signs the Claims Resolution Act of 2010

President Obama signed the $4.55 billion settlement today which included the Cobelle settlement, water rights disputes of seven tribes, Pigford II and extended benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. You can access the White House Blog on the signing here and the story by USA Today here.

-Carolyn  

Second Tribal Nations Conference Tenative Schedule Out

Indianz.com just posted up a tentative schedule for the second Tribal Nations Conference hosted by President Obama on December 16th. You can access the article and schedule here and view it live here.

-Carolyn

We regretfully pass along the news of the passing of attorney and professor Tim Vollmann

from Saturday's Albq. Journal:

 

"Albuquerque attorney Tim Vollmann won landmark water and land rights cases for Native American tribes and received prestigious national awards, but it was his "gentle, unassuming" manner and his role as a family man that friends remember most.

Vollmann, 64, was killed Thursday while riding his bicycle home from work on Comanche just east of Interstate 25......

Longtime friends and colleagues of Vollmann, also an adjunct professor at the university of New Mexico Law School, described him as dedicated, generous, and well-liked by everyone."

 

Our sympathies and condolences go out to the friends and family of our colleague.

 

twp

Secretary Ken Salazar: Fulfilling Our Promise in Indian Country

Fulfilling Our Promise in Indian Country

Posted by Secretary Ken Salazar on November 30, 2010 at 04:41 PM EST

Two years ago, President Barack Obama vowed that this administration would work with Native Americans to empower tribal governments, fulfill our trust responsibilities to tribal members and help tribal leaders build safer, stronger, healthier and more prosperous communities.

Today we took a giant step toward fulfilling that promise with Congressional approval of five major settlements for Indian country that are nothing short of historic.

First, Congress has authorized the Cobell settlement, an agreement that will resolve the 14-year, highly contentious class action lawsuit regarding the U.S. government's trust management and accounting of individual American Indian trust accounts. The settlement honorably and responsibly addresses long-standing injustices and demonstrates President Obama's commitment to reconciliation and empowerment for Indian nations.

The settlement also establishes a $1.9 billion fund for the voluntary buy-back and consolidation of fractionated land interests to address the continued proliferation of thousands of new trust accounts caused by the division of land interests through succeeding generations and for other trust related activities. The land consolidation program will provide individual Indians with an opportunity to consolidate and transfer divided ownership interests to their tribal governments, where they will remain in trust for the benefit of tribal communities. Individual Indians will receive cash payments for these transfers and, as an additional incentive, transfers will trigger government payments into a $60 million Indian scholarship fund.

Second, Congress approved four Indian water rights settlements - totaling more than $1 billion - that will deliver clean drinking water to tribes in New Mexico, Arizona and Montana. For these communities, the permanent water supply will offer economic security and end decades of water allocation controversy and contention among neighboring communities.

Administration support for four water rights settlements in a single Congress is unprecedented. The settlements reflect the willingness of the parties, including state, tribal and other stakeholders, as well as this administration's commitment, to work together constructively rather than stay locked in an endless cycle of litigation.

The Obama administration is making progress along a wide front in fulfilling the president's pledge to our First Americans, investing hundreds of millions of recovery dollars in new schools and roads, strengthening tribal law enforcement, improving Indian education and speeding land into trust to expand tribal resource bases.

But there is no doubt that much work remains. That is why President Obama announced that he is hosting a second White House Tribal Nations Conference December 16 to build upon our commitment to strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship with Indian country.

Native Americans must be full partners in our nation's economy, thrive in safe communities, and have equal access to quality education and health care.

Step by step - as with the passage of Cobell and the four historic water rights settlements - we are getting there.

Ken Salazar is the Secretary of the Interior

You can access the Blog here.

-Carolyn