Personal Jurisdiction in Tribal Courts

Abstract

Long before the first European immigrants set foot on American shores, Indian tribes had systems to administer justice. Long after the federal government had effectively subjugated tribal governments, Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act to encourage tribes to “organize Western-style governments.” Formal court systems, “a relatively recent development in Indian Country,” are essential components of a functioning Western-style government. These court systems have grown substantially over the past three decades. In 1974, the American Indian Law Training Program began publishing the In-