Delaware Nation Tribal Court 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 Delaware Nation of Oklahoma will use grant funds support the Delaware Nation Tribal Court. The goal is to create, adopt, and implement the Delaware Nation Tribal Code. The tribal court will utilize an advisory team to ensure that each stakeholder will have the opportunity to provide input during the code development process. The Delaware Nation Tribal Court will develop tribal codes that address a variety of legal matters such as adoptions, marriage ceremonies, child custody and visitation, guardianship, name changes, small claims, civil matters, criminal misdemeanors, and drug related offenses. The Delaware Nation of Oklahoma will hire a tribal court administrator, bailiff/probation officer, and a court clerk. They will contract with tribal trial court judges, tribal appellate court judges, a tribal prosecutor, a tribal defender, and a court reporter. They will also provide training to tribal court staff.

CA/NCF