WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Justice Services (OJS) will hold the second of its 2014 tribal court trial advocacy training sessions for tribal court personnel on March 31 through April 3 in Denver, Colo. This session will focus on prosecuting individuals trafficking illegal narcotics.
Because of a high level of interest, the Office of Justice Services is providing legal training it successfully held in 2012 and 2013 to new groups of tribal court prosecutors, defenders and judges to improve their trial advocacy skills. This year, the training seminars will focus on case studies involving the trafficking of illegal narcotics, domestic violence and sexual assault on adults and children. Each session also includes a roundtable discussion on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with a panel of tribal attorneys who have first-hand knowledge of the requirements of the VAWA jurisdictional pilot project application.
This training is a component of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. It is being conducted under the Tribal Court Trial Advocacy Training Program – a joint effort by the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Justice that furthers the mandate of the Act to strengthen tribal sovereignty over criminal justice matters on federal Indian lands by sharpening the skills of those who practice within the tribal court system.
The program is the result of a collaborative effort by the OJS and the DOJ’s Access to Justice Initiative to offer trial advocacy training with courses designed specifically for tribal courts and free training to the judges, public defenders and prosecutors who work in them. Training will be conducted by working law professionals using instructional materials prepared by experts knowledgeable about tribal court issues. The program is unique for its public defenders training and now has specific training for tribal judges.
President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act on March 7, 2013. It includes important provisions for federally recognized tribes to combat violence against Native women, such as homicide, rape, assault and battery in the home, workplace and on school campuses throughout Indian Country.
WHO: Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs.
WHAT: The second Tribal Court Trial Advocacy Training Program session of 2014 to improve the trial advocacy skills of tribal court prosecutors, defenders and judges, as mandated under the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. This session will focus on prosecuting individuals trafficking illegal narcotics.
WHEN: March 31-April 3, 2014 (MDT)
- Monday, March 31: 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, April 1: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 2: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Thursday, April 3: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Renaissance Denver Hotel, 3801 Quebec Street, Denver, Colo. 80207. Phone: 303-399-7500.
CREDENTIALS: This invitation is extended to credentialed media representatives, who must display sanctioned media credentials for admittance to the event
