Tribal Justice Project

Background

The Tribal Justice Project was launched in April 2018 as an initiative of the Aoki Center. The Project works to bring tribal judges, practitioners, and leaders together with King Hall students and faculty to provide practical experience and training to students interested in legal practice involving tribal interests or appearances before tribal courts. Building on the law school’s foundational commitment to social justice, the Project also aims to enhance the sovereignty of California tribes in light of the particular challenges they face. These challenges include the effects of Public Law 280, a federal law that allows several states, including California, to exercise concurrent jurisdiction in certain criminal and civil matters normally handled by tribes. The Project capitalizes on King Hall’s proximity to Sacramento, where many state decisions affecting tribes are made, and to several tribal governments to forge connections with tribal and California governmental officials.