Bureau of Indian Affairs
Office of Justice Services
Office of Tribal Justice Support
Tribal Justice Support
• Associate Director-Tricia Tingle
• Criminal Law Specialist-On load TLOA
Commission - Laurel Iron Cloud
• Civil Law Specialist-Katherine Scotta
• National Victim Specialist Coordinator-2012
Lanisha Bell
National Coordinator for Court Reviews
25 USC 3602 et seq
• The purpose of the Office of Tribal Justice
Support is to further the development,
operation, and enhancement of tribal judicial
systems and the Court of Indian Offenses.
• Enacted 1993
• Mandated by statute to provide training and
technical assistance 25 USC 3611©
Reorganizational Chart
Billings
Aberdeen
Minneapolis
Portland
Nashville
Sacramento
Phoenix
Albuquerque
Muskogee
Further the development, operation, and enhancement
of tribal judicial systems and the Court of Indian
Offenses
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First of its kind training. Tribal Court Advocacy including tribal court judges, prosecutors, lay
and law trained public defenders- Six training have been scheduled, and to-date 4 sessions
have been completed with over 150 tribal court personnel trained at three-day trial advocacy
course and each training will focus on a either: sexual assault of an adult, sexual assault of a
child, domestic violence or trafficking illegal narcotics and gangs
The Target Training Audience is: Tribal Court Judges, Tribal Court Prosecutors, and Tribal
Court Public Defenders. Training Partners include: BIA Division of Courts, DOJ U.S. Attorney’s
Offices, DOJ Access to Justice Initiative, United States Office of Defender Services with
Federal Public Defenders Office and DOJ National Indian Country Training Office..
Juvenile Codes, CFR Codes, Tribal Action Plan Assistance.
Four training sessions designed for tribal judges entitled Commercial Law for the Tribal
Judiciary: the Model Tribal Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) will be presented in
collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of Energy and Economic
Development (IEED) and the Federal Reserve Banks. The first of these four sessions will be
on November 29-30, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona
National Judicial College- One opportunity for each tribal judge representing that particular
tribal court.
Working with Access to Justice/Department of Justice and other components of DOJ on other
matters, including OVC for the victim specialist program.
Training dates
• July 24-26, 2012, Duluth, Minn. -Domestic Violence
• August 14-16, 2012, Durango, Colo.-Domestic Violence
• September 11-13, 2012, Great Falls, Mont.-Sexual
Assault
• October 23-25, 2012, Chinle, Ariz.-Sexual Assault
• November 13-15, 2012, Seattle, Wash.-Sexual Assault
• January 15-17, 2013, Albuquerque, N.M-Illegal
Narcotics-TLOA Section 214
Court Reviews
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The BIA-OJS conducts court reviews and needs surveys. In 2013, the OJS will
implement a regional plan for conducting court reviews and needs surveys. In
each of 9 regions a trained team of legal professionals will conduct reviews of
judicial systems with the goal of assessing court processes and collaborating with
each tribe in developing plans to improve or establish tribal court functions. Title
25 U.S.C. 3612 and the Office of Management and Budget require the Office of
Tribal Justice Support (TJS) to conduct a survey of the conditions of the tribal
justice systems.
TJS has determined that it will provide comprehensive tribal court reviews which
are intended not only to provide Congress with a mechanism to provide additional
resources and base funding, if available, but to also provide tribal courts a
mechanism for improved operational activities. The tribal court survey or review
process follows the Trial Court Performance Standards model (TCPS). The TCPS
expresses a new philosophy and framework for defining and understanding the
effectiveness of tribal courts by focusing attention on performance, selfassessment, and self-improvement. The TCPS model has been modified to focus
on tribal courts, and specific measurements will be adapted to individual tribal
courts.
Accomplishments
• One-time funding, October 1, 2012. Items needed, Budget, Budget
request, reasoning for request. Next year letter will go out the end of June
2013.
• Comprehensive –one on one training for trial advocacy skills-Public
Defenders, lay and law trained, Prosecutors, Tribal Judges
• First time collaboration with Federal Public Defenders Office-US Courts for
training session.
• One Pilot Programs-highlighting training and technical assistance and onetime funding for law trained public defender. Listening Session-September
2011 for both CFR Courts and Tribal Courts.
• CFR Court Docketing systems compatible to state docketing system.
• Specialized training for tribal judges. Working with a contractor to assist in
training and preparation of model tribal bench book.
• Alcohol Monitoring Ankle Bracelets- very successful
• Alternatives to Sentencing-Talking Circles, Elder Panels.
Contact Information
• Tricia A. Tingle
• Associate Director- Office of Tribal Justice
Support
• Tricia.Tingle@BIA.GOV
• 202-208-2675