Tribal Courts Operations 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 Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe will enhance their tribal court to reduce out of home placements and juvenile detention/incarceration, and to facilitate permanent placements that comport with tribal customs and traditions. They will continue to fund public defender services that are essential as their caseload increases and collaborative work between the tribal and state court systems expands into juvenile delinquency cases. They will also contract with additional attorneys to handle cases in which the current attorneys have a conflict of interest, ensure respondents are properly represented in court cases, and improve the public perception and acceptance of the Tribal Court. The tribal court will purchase new recording equipment to ensure that their technology is up-to-date and secure.

CA/NCF