Over 100 tribes in Alaska operating their own court systems

Thursday, March 28, 2013  

Over 100 tribes are operating their own court systems, Lisa Jaeger of the Tanana Chiefs Conference said at a forum on Wednesday.

Tribes are handling child welfare cases, domestic violence crimes and other matters, Jaeger said. Their court systems represent nearly half of the 229-federally recognized tribes in the state.

"Tribal courts, especially in small, rural communities are really the first level of justice that are available to local communities,” Jaeger said at the forum, KTUU reported.

The forum, Tribal Courts in Alaska: Past, Present, and Future, was hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center.

Get the Story:
UAA Forum Brings Awareness to Tribal Courts (KTUU-TV 3/27)