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Legal Services for Individual Native Americans
CILS focuses on the legal needs of the Native American community. We seek to advance Native American rights through highly efficient and effective legal services. Everything we do is informed by our history of working on behalf of Native American communities for over 50 years and our experiences as Indian people. Our team provides individuals and tribes with legal services pertaining to federal Indian law. Learn more about the services we provide to individual Native Americans.
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Matters We Handle For Individuals
RECOGNITION & ENFORCEMENT OF TRIBAL COURT ORDERS
Our attorneys can support individual Native Americans with obtaining a tribal court order if the defendant or defendant assets are off reservation.
DRAFT INDIAN WILLS FOR ESTATE PLANNING
CILS offers advice and counsel on how to pass assets to beneficiaries subject to AIPRA (American Indian Probate Reform Act).
LEGAL ASSISTANCE ON NATIVE AMERICAN JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES
We offer services to represent Native Americans where the state or county is illegally attempting to exercise jurisdiction over them or their Indian land.
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE
Our attorneys are able to assist with discrimination based on one’s Native American status or identity through state and federal civil rights laws,
TRUST LAND RIGHTS AND PROTECTION
We will work with you to ensure that important considerations are taken into account to protect and enforce individual rights in trust land and rights of way.
INDIVIDUAL INDIAN ALLOTMENT RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS
We will work with you to ensure that important considerations are taken into account to protect and enforce individual rights in trust land and rights of way.
UNSEALING BIRTH RECORDS
Our attorneys diligently conduct research, along with collecting information in the form of family documents and signed declarations to support petitions to unseal birth records.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION AND SUPPORT
Our Northern and Southern Offices offer free, walk-in Domestic Violence Protection and Support Services with no income eligibility requirements.
DENIAL OF STATE/FEDERAL PUBLIC BENEFITS DUE TO TRIBAL BENEFIT PAYMENTS
Our attorneys will work to ensure Native people are allowed to fully share in the public benefits for which they are eligible.
EXPUNGEMENT
Our services aim to assist individuals who are seeking to have their past criminal convictions expunged.
EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS
Our attorneys will work to help ensure Native American students and their families benefit from a variety of educational programs under federal and state law.
Don’t See Your Issue? Here’s Where You Can Find Support
Types of Cases We Do Not Handle
Representation Of Parties Other Than Tribes in Child Custody and Family Law Proceedings
CILS only represents tribes in “child custody proceedings” as defined under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). CILS does not represent parents in such cases because parents are provided court appointed counsel. Additionally, representation of parents in ICWA cases could create a conflict of interest with a tribe that is a CILS client. Similarly, CILS does not represent parties in private child custody or family law matters (such as divorce) because they are not proceedings subject to ICWA and such representation could violate our Indian v. Indian policy.
Criminal
CILS receives a majority of its funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which is a non-profit corporation publicly funded by the federal government to provide civil legal services for low-income individuals. Under LSC regulations, their funding is prohibited from being used to provide legal assistance on criminal matters. For that reason, CILS is unable to represent individuals on criminal law matters.
If you have been charged with a crime, CILS recommends that you speak with your court appointed counsel (otherwise known as a public defender), or seek out a private criminal law attorney.