8 MAY 1,2009
Smoke Signals
Tribal Court Awareness Day provides information
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
For a Tribal Court that handles
all kinds of legal issues for Tribal
members and the community, fos
ter care cases represent the biggest
and most intransigent challenge.
The 47 children currently under
Tribal Court jurisdiction live as
close as Grand Ronde, but as far
away as Texas.
"The court's jurisdiction extends
to where the child resides," Tribal
Court Programs Specialist Julie
Boekhoff said.
Nationwide, only two in 10 chil
dren in foster care succeed in later
life, according to statistics provided
by the court. Eight of the 10 will end
up dead, in jail or homeless.
Still, said Tribal member and
Member Services Department
Manager Debby Larsen, who also
is a member of two Tribal Court
volunteer programs, "If you help
one or two, it's worth it."
In recent years, Tribal Court has
set up three volunteer programs
the Tribal Member Review Board,
Court Appointed Special Advocates
and Peacemaker Program.
The Review Board, established
in 2005, enables Tribal members
to review cases of Tribal children
in Tribal custody.
"The reviews take place in a less
formal setting, providing an at
mosphere that is both confidential
and conducive for the interaction
of everyone involved," says a Tribal
Court program information sheet.
The Special Advocates program,
established in 2008, tasks volun
teers with staying involved in a
case and, when necessary, advocat
ing for the child.
The Peacemaker Program, also
established at the Tribe last year,
provides "a non-adversarial way
to resolve disputes. It is intended
to reflect the Tribe's tradition of
using respected members of the
community to heal conflicts among
its members," says a Tribal Court
program information sheet.
For Tribal Elder Joann Mercier,
a Review Board member: "To see
them in court, that makes all of this
worth it. You may work on a case
for two or three years, and know
everything about that kid, but see
ing their smiling faces (when we've
solved a problem) nothing even
comes close."
The comments came on Tues
day, April 14, during Tribal Court
Awareness Day, when the depart
ment described to Tribal and com
munity members the programs that
have been developed to serve the
community.
"Tribal Court fees are consider
ably less than state court fees and
there is no fee to utilize the Peace
maker Program," Boekhoff said, "for
name changes, divorces and dispute
resolution, to mention a few."
Tribal Court also runs an indi
gent defense program that provides
attorneys for abuse and neglect
cases.
There is a current focus on pro-
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Elder Alan Ham reads a tag that represents a child who is a ward of the
Tribal Court during Tribal Court Awareness Day on Tuesday, April 1 4. There
are currently 47 children in care of Tribal Court. On the left is Tribal member
Debby Larsen, who is a volunteer on the Tribal Member Review Board and is
a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer.
viding civil judges and attorney in
formation about sensitive cultural
issues.
Tribal Court also performs deed
recording for house purchases and
files Uniformed Commercial Code
documents.
On Tribal Court's wish list, said
Tribal member and Tribal Court
Administrator Angela Fasana, are
a drug court and an expansion of
authority that would allow the
court to handle custody disputes
in cases where no divorce is in
volved. Mercier, now Security Director
at Spirit Mountain Casino, used
to work in the Tribe's Social Ser
vices Department. She said she
remembers "the first court down at
the manor. They held court in the
lunchroom." D
4
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orner
Beginning Twining Basketry Class
The Cultural Resources Department will be
hosting Tribal member Sam Heony wi teaching
a beginning basketry class.
Grand Ronde
May 2
Education room 126
9 A.M.-3 P.M.
Portland
May 9
9 A.M. -3 P.M.
Bring a sack lunch and good scissors
Urnit to 1 5 people per office.
RSVP to Misty Thorsgard 503-873-2320
Chmuk Wawa
Portland
Wednesdays
Classes begin May 6
4-8 P.M.
Eugene
Thursdays
Classes begin May 7
4-8RM.
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Beginning Loom work
Instructor CeCe Knedand
Grand Ronde
Education room 207
May 19, 26
June Z
ana At
Portland SV "VrJ "
June 4, 11, 18,25 i JS : ?f
6 8 PM. VH7
Eugene
June 3, 10, 17, 24
6.8PM.
E-mail: mbi
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M created by Georg Vatdrt