Federal Indian Law and Policy: An Introduction is designed to help students, instructors, and others without a legal background to learn and teach about the legal landscape that shapes Native America. Covering both the historical foundations that continue to inform the present as well as hot button issues facing Native America today, each of the thirty chapters is a concise, readable synopsis of an aspect of this dynamic, ever evolving field of law. Anyone interested in any aspect of Native America, regardless of their familiarity with the law, will find their own studies, classes, and knowledge enhanced by this text.
This second edition keeps pace with legal developments in policy, federal law, and court decisions, while it continues to fill a unique niche as a primary and secondary text for courses in the field. Updates are provided for key developments such as the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on tribal sovereign immunity and the release of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs Guidelines on the interpretation of the Indian Child Welfare Act. A new chapter on Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Indian Law Practice is included. -- from publisher's website.
Nearly every American Indian tribe has its own laws and courts. Taken together, these courts decide thousands of cases. Many span the full panoply of law—from criminal, civil, and probate cases, to divorce and environmental disputes.American Indian Tribal Law, now in its Second Edition, surveys the full spectrum of tribal justice systems. With cases, notes, and historical context, this text is ideal for courses on American Indian Law or Tribal Governments—and an essential orientation to legal practice within tribal jurisdictions. New to the Second Edition: A new chapter on professional responsibility and the regulation of lawyers in tribal jurisdictions Enhanced materials on Indian child welfare Additional materials on tribal laws that incorporate Indigenous language and culture Additional examples from tribal justice systems and practice Recent and noteworthy cases from tribal courts Professors and students will benefit from: A broad survey of dispute resolution systems within tribal jurisdictions A review of recent flashpoints in tribal law, such as internal tribal political matters, including intractable citizenship and election disputes enhanced criminal jurisdiction over nonmembers and non-Indians tribal constitutional reform, including a case study on the White Earth Nation Cases and material reflecting a wide range of American Indian tribes and legal issues Excerpts and commentary from a wellspring of current scholarship
In the early 1970s, the federal government began recognizing self-determination for American Indian nations. As sovereign entities, Indian nations have been able to establish policies concerning health care, education, religious freedom, law enforcement, gaming, and taxation. David E. Wilkins and K. Tsianina Lomawaima discuss how the political rights and sovereign status of Indian nations have variously been respected, ignored, terminated, and unilaterally modified by federal lawmakers as a result of the ambivalent political and legal status of tribes under western law.
