Descriptive Summary

Organizational History

The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, created in 1969, which received its tax-exempt status in 1973 in the state of Delaware. The goal of the organization is to advocate for the American Indian and Alaskan Native justice systems by using education and information sharing. Judges, justices, and peacemakers serving in the tribal justice system are the primary members. An elected Board of Directors manages and directs the Association. The Association also issues annual Reports. The Associationīs mission is to strengthen the tribal justice system through various means including increasing public awareness, promoting tribal sovereignty, and conduct research.

The original incorporators include the following names: 1. Virgil L. Kirk, Sr. - Navajo Tribe 2. Henry Upchego - Uintah and Ouray Tribes 3. Lawrence Miller - Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes 4. Cranston Hawley - Fort Belknap Agency 5. Josephine D. Neuman - Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Flathead Tribes 6. Betty Laverdure - Turtle Mountain Chippewa 7. George R. Armstrong - Southern Ute Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 8. E. Thomas Colosimo - Executive Director, Arrow, Inc.

The Association has one class of membership-Active Membership. In order to be eligible for membership, a person must be a duly appointed clerk of an Indian Court, with full responsibilities to act as a clerk of the Court.

The Board of Directors shall have authority to fix dues to be paid annually in advance on the first of January of each year. The Board of Directors may grant each group of Indian court clerks permission to form Area Chapters of the Association in the respective areas as follows: Albuquerque Area, Phoenix Area, Portland Area, Billings Area, Aberdeen Area, and Navajo Area.

The governing body shall be a Board of Directors. It shall consist of 12 members and 6 alternates elected by the caucus of the Active Members of each area of the Association. The members of the Board shall serve a two-year term as long as eligible for membership in the Association.

http://www.naicja.org/

Scope and Contents

Transition files, Program, Back up for invoices, NAICJA correspondence, Dept. of Health & Human Services, Grants, LEAA Model Court, Copies of material sent to Reno, Bank deposits, BIA FLICW, Proposals, Technical Assistance, NAICJA, Performance Reports, Reno Chrono, BIA Hearings, Aboriginal customary law, Alaska Project, Ordinances, Young Once, Indian Forever, Indian Child Welfare Act, Leadership Training, Review and commentary, Demonstration Project, Court Improvement plan, Indian Tribal Courts, Reference Materials, Basic Criminal Law, McDermott, John T., Wall, Steve, The Mission and Functions, Ross, Earl J., Training Manual, Smith, Lola, Legal Research, Jurisdiction Program, Justice and the American Indian, The Law of Evidence, Johnson, Ralph W., Questionnaire, Kirby, Jan, Sheridan, William H., Indian Court Judges' Bench Book, Solicitation for Grant Application, Committees, Brash, Russell Lawrence, Joint meetings, Draft, Northwest Intertribal Court System, Code of Ethics, Evaluation, Molesworth, Cecilia L., Milne, John W., Bowen, Jim, Memorandum, Torts, Vital Documents, Permanency planning for Indian Children, Parenting, Natural Resource news and the CERT report, Custer, George C., Notebook.

Acquisition Information

Materials received in 1986, 1988, and 1991.

Preferred Citation

Arrow, Inc. National American Indian Court Judges Association Papers, Leland D. Case Western Historical Studies

Inventory