Practice Area:

Governmental Relations

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Fundamentally and elementally, Indian tribes are sovereign governments. As such, relations with other non-tribal governmental entities is essential. Yet, at times, such relations can be difficult, especially when other governments fail to respect tribal sovereignty or recognize the tribe's full status as a government. As with all of our representation, Brad S. Jolly & Associates consistently emphasizes the tribe's status as a governmental entity and demands recognition and respect of that status from other governments. Our attorneys have broad and extensive experience in working with local governments, state governments, and the federal government:

• Reviewing proposed federal and state legislation and regulations, such as NIGC and BIA regulations, and providing comments for submission by tribes
• Drafting and negotiating Memoranda of Understanding between tribes and state, federal, and local governments and their agencies
• Drafting and negotiating mutual aid law enforcement agreements, hunting and fishing agreements, and other agreements with state and local governments
• Negotiating and drafting gaming compacts and amendments and addenda to gaming compacts
• Negotiating and drafting protocols with state and local governments governing the handling of specific matters involving the tribe and its members
• Responding to subpoenas and other requests for information from state and federal government agencies in a manner which maintains respect for tribes as governments, assures government-to-government relations, and protects tribal sovereignty
• Dealing with issues of recognition of tribal acts, orders, and judgments by state and local authorities

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INDIAN LAW UPDATES

Indian Affairs Committee Approves Apology Resolution

On Thursday, May 10, 2007, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee approved Senate Joint Resolution 4, a resolution which apologizes to Indian peoples for the United States' "official depredations and... more »

Pit River Tribe v. United States Forest Service, 9th Cir. 2006

The Pit River Tribe and other plaintiffs won a significant victory in the Ninth Circuit for Indian religious freedom. On November 6, 2006, the Ninth Circuit reversed the Eastern District of California's... more »

Bill Would Allow Funding for Tribal Veterans Cemeteries

Representative Tom Udall (D-NM) proposed a bill in the House of Representatives that would permit states for provide grants financed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the development of veterans... more »

New Law Includes Tribes in ERISA

President Bush signed the Pension Protection Act of 2006, which made significant changes to the Employment Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"). Section 906 of the new Act brings Indian tribes expressly... more »