Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2010, $1,100,000)
The Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance (TCCLA) grants program, authorized by 25 USC 3651, et seq., enhances tribal court systems and improves access to those systems. In general, the TCCLA program provides for direct legal services for indigent defendants and respondents in tribal justice systems. More specifically, the TCCLA program provides civil legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes, and tribal justice systems, pursuant to the federal poverty guidelines; criminal legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes, and tribal justice systems, pursuant to the federal poverty guidelines; and deliver national or regional scope advocacy training and technical assistance to tribal justice systems.
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) will enhance criminal tribal court systems and improve access to those systems by strengthening and improving the representation of indigent clients in criminal cases under the jurisdiction of Indian tribes. NARF will subcontract funds in this grant to the members of the National Association of Indian Legal Services (NAILS) organization. NAILS is an organization of programs that serve the civil and criminal legal needs of client-eligible individual Indians, and smaller Indian tribes who cannot otherwise afford legal representation. Indian Legal Services (ILS) programs serve a vital role in the administration of and access to justice for Indian people in Indian Country by providing legal representation to individual Indian people and to tribal governments, and assist with the development of tribal courts through the provision of their legal representation, expertise and resources.
The NARF/NAILS Project will provide criminal representation for additional tribal members who would otherwise have no access to defense representation and for projects on behalf of tribes and tribal courts. This project will both effectively improve the legal outcomes for those provided direct representation, the courts in which represented defendants are tried, and the tribal justice systems that receive additional direct assistance.
CA/NCF