2024 Indian Law Section CLE
Indigeneity Today: An Indian Law Framework
Speakers: Ken Bellmard & Patrick Kane
Description:
This session will delve into the complexities of natural resource management, with a focus on current challenges and emerging issues and trends. Topics will include water rights, regulatory frameworks, and the impact of energy policy on environmental law concerns in Indian Country. Speakers from various sectors will provide insights into the legal and environmental considerations that shape disputed issues involving natural resources. The focus will include the Osage Minerals Council suit regarding wind farms and the conflict regarding the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Kiamichi River in Southeast Oklahoma.
Tribal AG Office Perspectives
Speakers: Clayton Fulton (Muscogee Nation), Alauna Crawford (Chickasaw Nation)
Description:
This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the roles and responsibilities of Tribal Attorney General offices. Speakers Clayton Fulton and Faith Lasiter will share their experiences and perspectives on the unique legal challenges faced by tribal governments. Topics will include jurisdictional issues, Tribal Attorney General office initiatives, enforcement of tribal laws, and the interplay between tribal, federal, and state legal systems.
Political = Indian Status
Speaker: Professor Lindsay Robertson
Description:
In this session, Professor Lindsay Robertson will explore the concept of "Indian" as a political status rather than a racial distinction, meaning that being "Indian" refers to membership in a federally recognized tribe, which is a political entity with sovereign rights, not simply a racial category based on ancestry. Professor Robertson will discuss the legal precedent established in Morton v. Mancari and the recent challenges in ICWA and other contexts.
Priorities for Federal/Tribal Prosecution
Speakers: Arvo Mikkanen, Jonathan Rohrer
Description:
This session will address the priorities and challenges in federal and tribal prosecution. Arvo Mikkanen and Jonathan Rohrer will discuss their experiences and insights into prosecuting cases involving tribal lands and citizens, focusing on the coordination between federal and tribal justice systems. The session will also highlight key areas of concern, such as violent crime, jurisdictional issues, and the protection of tribal sovereignty within the legal framework.
Disclaimer: All views or opinions expressed by any presenter during the course of this CLE is that of the presenter alone and not an opinion of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the employers, or affiliates of the presenters unless specifically stated. Additionally, any materials, including the legal research, are the product of the individual contributor, not the Oklahoma Bar Association. The Oklahoma Bar Association makes no warranty, express or implied, relating to the accuracy or content of these materials.