The American Indian Probate Reform Act of 2004 was officially certified today with the publication of a notice in the Federal Register.

The law was passed last year in order to encourage estate planning by individual Indians, establish a uniform probate code and help tribes consolidate fractionated land ownerships.

As required by the law, the Interior Department had to inform individual Indian landowners of the law and its provisions. With publication of the notice, Secretary Gale Norton certified that her department carried out four steps to meet that goal.

Get the Notice:
American Indian Probate Reform Act of 2004 (June 28, 2005)

American Indian Probate Reform Act:
Public Law No: 108-374

Relevant Links:
Indian Land Tenure Foundation - http://www.indianlandtenure.org
Indian Land Working Group - http://www.ilwg.net
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

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