Frequently Asked Questions

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By Kia Murdoch, CILS Sacramento office Staff Attorney

I’m Native American, can CILS help me with my legal issue?

CILS offers advice and representation in cases that involve issues unique to Native Americans, under either federal Indian law or related state law. “Indian law” refers to the field of law based on the political status of Tribes and Tribal members. A legal issue that involves a Native American does not automatically bring the issue into the field of Indian law. For more detail on what problems are considered Indian law, please read our recent blog post here: https://www.calindian.org/what-is-indian-law/.

While there are many legal aid organizations in California, CILS is the only one dedicated solely to the field of Indian law. If you are Native American, but your legal issue is not an Indian law issue, CILS can refer you to other legal aid organizations.

I was adopted, but I believe my biological parents were Tribal members. Can CILS help me unseal my adoption records to help me enroll?

Yes. Adoption records are sealed and confidential and may only be unsealed by court order. CILS can help you prepare the necessary documents to petition the Superior Court to order your adoption records to be unsealed. You will need to demonstrate to the court that you have a reasonable belief your biological parents or one of them is affiliated with an Indian Tribe.  If you do not have documentation to support your belief, a good first step is to submit a request to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) for a non-identity report of your adoption because they often include useful information about a biological parent’s background (and therefore can be submitted to the court as evidence to support your reasonable belief).

How do I become a Tribal member?

Each Tribe has unique membership qualifications and processes. The first step is to contact the Tribe you seek to enroll in and have ready information about your family, such as names of immediate and extended family members who are Tribal members or affiliated with the Tribe. It’s important to provide the Tribe with correct spellings of names and accurate dates of birth and/or death; failure to do so may prevent the Tribe from verifying your eligibility for enrollment. You can find contact information for all federally-recognized Tribes at: https://www.bia.gov/tribal-leaders-directory.

If you are interested in the significance of indigenous DNA versus eligibility for Tribal enrollment, check our blog post on the subject: https://www.calindian.org/native-american-ancestry-family-lore-oral-swabs-and-enrollment-cards/

My family is involved in a child custody case, does the Indian Child Welfare Act apply to us?

Please refer to our blog post on who the ICWA applies to: https://www.calindian.org/when-does-the-indian-child-welfare-act-icwa-apply/.

I’m Native American, where do I get my check?

There are many misconceptions about the “Indian check.” Please see our blog posts for more information: https://www.calindian.org/mythical-indian-benefits/;  and https://www.calindian.org/the-myth-of-the-monthly-check-for-native-americans/

Can CILS help me draft my Indian Will?

Yes. Indian wills are very important when the Testator (the person writing their will) has property or assets unique to Native Americans. Check out past CILS blogs for more information:

https://www.calindian.org/where-there-is-a-will-there-is-a-way/; and

https://www.calindian.org/american-indian-probate-reform-act-aipra-and-indian-wills/

My relative has passed, and I am supposed to inherit land from them.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has a special probate process for Indian trust land, aka Allotments. The first step is to notify the BIA of your relative’s passing and provide them with a certified copy of the death certificate so they can open a probate for your relative

I own land, but not sure if it’s “allotment” or “assignment” land. How do I find out?

Allotment land is issued to an individual Indian by the federal government. While the allotment land may be leased to someone or even sold outright, the Bureau of Indian Affairs must approve the lease and sale. Like tribal trust land, an allotment is owned by the federal government and held in trust for the individual Indian.  This is distinct from assigned land, which is Tribal trust land assigned to an individual tribal member by the Tribe. Such land cannot be leased or sold in fee simple by the assignee (i.e., the individual Indian). Read more about these two types of land HERE https://www.calindian.org/indian-allotments-and-co-ownership/

What happens to my Indian allotment if I leave it or gift deed it to a non-Indian or an Indian that is not enrolled in a federally recognized tribe?

Non-Indians cannot hold Indian land in trust, aka an allotment. If you nonetheless want to leave your allotment to a non-Indian, you can, but the land will be taken out of trust (becomes subject to state and local taxes and regulations). However, under the American Indian Probate Reform Act (AIPRA), if the non-Indian is your spouse and they are living on the allotment at the time of your death, they will be given a “life estate” in the allotment. Meaning, they can live on the land until their death, and the land will not be taken out of trust. As for heirs that are Indian but not members of a federally recognized tribe, the AIPRA has a unique and broad definition of “Indian” and “eligible heir.” AIPRA allows your heirs who are not members of a recognized Indian tribe to inherit Indian trust land without losing its trust status.

Keep an eye out for a future blog post expanding on this complex area of law.

Can my Tribal per capita be garnished for child support?

A garnishment order is issued when a parent, after following a legal process, demonstrates to a court that the other parent owes outstanding child support. A garnishment order is a demand from the court that the debtor parent’s employer, bank, or any third party holding money for the debtor parent, withhold a certain amount from the account or salary. And turn the amount over to the parent who has the order to satisfy the child support debt. However, when the money is sought through a garnishment order is held by a Tribe in the form of a tribal per capita payment, the order is non-binding, and the Tribe cannot be forced to do a withholding or pay the creditor out of the debtor parent’s per capita payment. Tribes have sovereign immunity and are not subject to state court orders unless they consent to the order.

However, State courts can consider per capita distributions as income when calculating child support payments.

Is my per capita distribution subject to state taxation?

Tribes with gaming facilities in California are permitted to make per capita distributions of their gaming profits to their members. Your Tribal per capita distribution will be exempt from California state taxation if you meet the following: (1) you are an enrolled member in the Tribe making the distribution; and (2) you live on your Tribe’s reservation or Rancheria.

I’m going through a divorce, is my Tribal per capita community property?

Unfortunately, this question is more complex than it seems. Considerations such as whether Tribal per capita disbursements were placed in a community bank account or used for community purchases may affect how a court categorizes distributions received during the marriage. CILS can provide referrals to family law experts upon request.

CILS chosen as 2021 Nonprofit of the Year

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

California Indian Legal Services was chosen as a 2021 Nonprofit of the Year

NONPROFIT HONORED BY SENATOR BRIAN JONES

Escondido, CA, June 23, 2021 – California Indian Legal Services (CILS) is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2021 California Nonprofit of the Year by District 38 Senator Brian Jones.

California Indian Legal Services is one of more than one hundred nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assembly members for their tremendous contributions to the communities they serve.

California Indian Legal Services’ mission is to protect and advance Indian rights, foster Indian self-determination, and facilitate tribal nation-building. CILS is one of the oldest non-profit law firms for Native American rights. Governed by a Board of Trustees selected by California tribes, tribal organizations, and dedicated state bar attorneys, CILS has provided free and low-cost legal services to California tribes, tribal organizations, and Native American individuals throughout the state for over five decades.

“I am extremely proud of CILS and its dedicated staff in protecting Native American and Tribal rights throughout California. For our work to be recognized and celebrated by State Senator Brian Jones is an honor and we are deeply grateful for his acknowledgment” stated Executive Director Dorothy Alther.

“The pandemic and shelter-in-place orders of the past year and a half have put nonprofits– usually hidden in plain sight – in the spotlight,” explains Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits). “California Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity for our elected officials to celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts, and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities.”

For more information about California Indian Legal Service visit www.calindian.org or contact Nicole Scott, Director of Marketing and Development at nscott@calindian.org.

Happy Pride From California Indian Legal Services!

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By Mark Vezzola, CILS Escondido office Directing Attorney

CILS wishes everyone a happy and safe Pride month! The month-long collection of events, flag-waving, and parade floats is meant to celebrate and honor who we are and show support for our clients, friends, staff, and allies who do not identify with traditional ideas of gender or sexuality.

What does CILS have to do with Pride? Our federal Indian and Tribal law work builds on values promoted by the LGBTQ2+ community – fairness, equality, and inclusion. Interestingly enough, the number “2” in LGBTQ2+ recognizes people who identify as “Two-Spirit,” a pan-Indian idea that acknowledges individuals who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender but rather a third gender or gender variant. The term “Two-Spirit” came out of a 1990 Native American/First Nations gay and lesbian conference in Winnipeg, Canada, as more precise and culturally informed than “gay” or “transgender” because such individuals were not only embraced by their communities but often revered for possessing qualities connected to both sexes.  It was non-binary people of color who helped launch the modern gay rights movement with the Stonewall Riots of 1969, thus giving CILS and Native communities another reason to celebrate Pride.

Long before the U.S. Supreme Court upheld marriage equality on equal protection grounds in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), Native American communities not only accepted but respected and even revered people who did not conform to conventional gender roles or sexual identities. The Lakota people, for example, recognized winktes, males who adopted a female identity, as powerful and often relied on them to name infants and serve in other ceremonial roles. More recently, in the wake of the cultural and political debate that unfolded over marriage equality in the mid-2000s, many Tribal nations have shown their commitment to inclusion and equality while flexing their sovereign powers to amend and develop laws that allow for same-sex marriage.  Dozens of Tribal nations, including Suquamish (WA), Little Traverse Bay Band (MI), Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel (CA), Pokagon Potawatomi (MI), Leech Lake (MN), Puyallup (WA), Coquille (OR), Shoshone Arapaho (WY), Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (MI), Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes (AK), Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (CT), and the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, recognized and permitted same-sex marriage before it was legal throughout the United States.

CILS continues to advocate for equality and sovereignty on behalf of Tribal  Nations, Native American organizations, and individuals. CILS projects and work that address LGBTQ2+ issues include drafting and revising family and employment codes to use gender-neutral pronouns and acknowledging the rights of same-sex couples and non-binary individuals. Helping clients who identify as LGBTQ2+ draft prepare thorough estate plans that protect their same-sex spouses, partners, and other family members, and more. Not long ago, a CILS staff member serving as a Tribal court judge officiated at the same-sex couple’s wedding, the first we know of under the laws of that Tribe.

Resources and Information

To read more about Two-Spirit identity and Two Spirit-focused resources, check out the Indian Health Service’s website:  https://www.ihs.gov/lgbt/health/twospirit/

For a discussion of same-sex marriage in Indian country, we recommend Professor Ann Tweedy’s 2015 Columbia University’s Human Rights Law Review article: https://turtletalk.blog/2015/06/02/tribes-and-same-sex-marriage-in-columbia-human-rights-law-review/

For statistics about the economic opportunities, family acceptance, and health risks facing Two-Spirit people, check out “Spotlight on Two-Spirit Communities” by NCAI: https://www.ncai.org/policy-research-center/research-data/prc-publications/A_Spotlight_on_Native_LGBT.pdf

Mythical Indian Benefits

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By Denise H. Bareilles, CILS Eureka office Acting Directing Attorney

For the last ten years, I have enjoyed working with tribal communities and assisting Native Americans and tribal governments in advancing Indian rights, fostering Indian self-determination, and facilitating tribal nation building. It has been interesting and surprising when I hear common stereotypes repeated about “Indians” and “Why do they receive so many benefits?” There is a lack of understanding that tribal governments possess an inherent sovereign authority to govern their land and people similar to other government units.

Myth: Indians Have Casinos and Receive a lot of Per Capita Payments

The most common mythical statement is that Indians own casinos and have a lot of money through tribal per capita payments. Wouldn’t that be great if this was true? But no, it is not. Some tribal governments distribute discretionary per capita payments to their tribal citizens due to operating successful enterprises such as casinos or other business ventures, or through effective management of natural resources on tribal lands. However, there are a lot of tribal governments that have very minimal economic development. Non-gaming tribal governments may receive funds from gaming tribes through the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, but those monies may or may not be distributed to its enrolled tribal members.

Myth: Indians Don’t Pay Taxes

Another common myth is that Native Americans are not subject to taxes. This is not true. This myth may stem from the fact that Indians were historically not subject to state or ordinary federal taxes because they are citizens of their own politically organized government. Native Americans are subject to federal income taxes. On the other hand, the income or revenue of tribal governments is exempt from federal taxation.[1] This tax immunity is consistent with the unique sovereign status of tribes, given that the federal income tax likewise does not apply to state and local governments. This exemption may be extended to tribal revenue generated by tribally established entities depending on if the entity is organized under federal, tribal, or state law.

States presumptively lack jurisdiction to tax Tribes and Indians living and working on their reservation but may do so if a federal statute confers that power. For example, courts have found that Tribes and Indians are immune from: sales and use taxes for goods purchased or delivered and used on the reservation, registration fees for vehicles used on the reservation, net income taxes if the member lives and is employed on their reservation, and real property taxes on their Indian (restricted) lands.

Tribal governments may also levy taxes on individuals within their reservation – some do, and others do not.

Myth: Indians “Double Dip” From State and Tribal Government Public Benefits

Another surprising myth is the assumption that Indians “double dip” when it comes to applying for public benefits. Native Americans are dual citizens; they are citizens of the State of California and their tribal government. Native American families may elect to receive aid from the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) program by applying in their county of residence or applying for Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) with the appropriate Tribal TANF provider. The government agencies coordinate service delivery to avoid duplication of services. Native families may choose one program over the other based on culturally sensitive service delivery, type of services provided, and/or proximity of services to the reservation.

Please contact the California Indian Legal Services office closest to you if you have any further questions regarding benefits for Tribes and Indians.

[1] Rev. Rul. 67-284, 1967-2 C.B. 55.