St. Paul Island Tribal Court Implementation Project

The purposes of the FY 2009 Tribal Courts Assistance Program (TCAP) are to develop new tribal courts, improve the operations of existing tribal courts, and provide training and technical assistance for tribal court staff. The TCAP program goals are to provide planning grants that will focus on establishing tribal courts by supporting the development of comprehensive strategy and implementation plans, provide grants for existing tribal court systems to enhance tribal court services, and provide planning grants for tribal justice system strategies.

The Tribal Government of St. Paul Island will implement the St. Paul Island Tribal Court as an alternative to the current state court system developed through a representative and inclusive community-based process. They will fund a prosecutor and court clerk for the St. Paul Island Tribal Court. They will also purchase a court recording system, a computer, and an integrated software database system for management of project data, including case management, court records, and other functions essential to the efficient management of the tribal court. The goal is to create a court that is more responsive to the unique cultural needs of their community.

CA/NCF