Wisconsin Judicare's Indian Law Office

Wisconsin Tribal Courts

 
Bad River Forest County Potawatomi Ho-Chunk
Lac Courte Oreilles Lac du Flambeau Menominee
Oneida Red Cliff St. Croix
Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Stockbridge-Munsee

Minnesota Tribal Courts

 

Bad River Tribal Court
PO Box 39
Odanah, WI 54861
Telephone: 715-682-7107 (ext. 1544)
Fax: 715-685-2600

Chief Judge: Ervin Soulier

Senior Associate Judge: Alton Smart
Associate Judges: Joe Corbine and Richard L. Ackley
Tribal Attorney: Carrie Miljevich
Prosecutor: Erick Arnold
Clerk of Court: Robin Powless
Appeals: Three Judge Panel from Wisconsin Tribes, Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife Tribes and/or Tribal Judges Association.
Admission Requirements: Bar Exam and Payment of a $25 fee
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Constitution and Tribal Ordinance
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: General civil including domestic abuse, divorce, child protection, conservation/Natural Resources, truancy, curfew & and landlord/tenant.

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Forest County Potawatomi Community Court
PO Box 340
Crandon, WI 54520
Telephone: 715-478-7255
Fax: 715-478-5805

Judge: Eugene White-Fish
Associate Judge: Jeryl Perenich
Tribal Attorney: Jeff Crawford, A.G. and JoDeen Lowe, Asst. A.G.
Interim Tribal Court Advisor: Paul Stenzel
Prosecutor: Edward Sheu (Interim)
Clerk of Court: Penny Carter
Deputy Clerk: Jennifer VanZile
Appeals: Process in formative stage
Admission Requirements: By Court Rule
Court's Source of Power: Delegated by General Council
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Name changes, Guardianships, Employment Issues, Small Claims (Up to $5,000), Child Protection, Child Support, Garnishments. For particular questions, check with the Clerk of Court.
Personal Jurisdiction: Members
Tribal Membership Criteria: In Constitution; 25% Potawatomi Blood

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Ho-Chunk Nation
PO Box 70
Black River Falls, WI 54615
Telephone: 715-284-2722 and 800-434-4070
Fax: 715-284-3136

Chief Trial Judge: Todd R. Matha
Associate Judge: Amanda L. Rockman
Traditional Court: Donald Blackhawk
Attorney General: Sheila D. Corbine
Clerk of Court: Marcella Cloud
Assistant Clerk of Court: Selina Joshua
Tribal Court Attorney: Jennifer L. Tilden, Nicole J. Homer
Appeals: Ho-Chunk Supreme Court, Mary Jo Hunter – Chief Justice; Mark Butterfield– Assoc. Justice; Dennis Funmaker – Assoc. Justice
Admission Requirement: By Court Rule
Court's Source of Power: Constitution
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: General civil (by ordinance); Currently child protection; collection of child support; election; other governmental disputes, housing, employment, gaming, torts, contracts, etc.
Personal Jurisdiction: Those with tribal interactions
Tribal Membership Criteria: Persons on official census roll and descendants of those persons if the descendants are at least 1/4 Ho-Chunk blood

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Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Court
13394 W. Trepania Road
Hayward, WI 54843
Telephone: 715-634-8934
Fax: 715-634-0160

Judge: James Mohr
Tribal Attorney: Kris M. Goodwill
Prosecutor:Paul Shagen
Clerk and Administrator of Court: Jenny Brazil
Deputy Clerk: Tammy Barber
Appeals: Three-judge panel through WTJA
Admission Requirements: Complete admission request form and $100 fee for attorneys/$50 fee for lay advocates
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Resolution, Ordinances and Constitution
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Adoption, Civil, Guardianship, Child Custody, Conservation, Divorce, Domestic Abuse, Child Welfare, Small Claims, Landlord/Tenant Name Change, Paternity, Truancy, Traffic
Personal Jurisdiction: Tribal members and Non-members depending on case
Tribal Membership Criteria: 1/8 Lac Courte Oreilles or 1/16 Lac Courte Oreilles and 1/16 Lake Superior Ojibwe

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Lac du Flambeau Tribal Court
PO Box 217
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538
Telephone: (715) 588-4200 or 588-4239
Fax: 715-588-9240
E-Mail: ldfcourt@newnorth.net

Chief Judge: Alice K. Soulier
Associate Judge: Garold Smith
Clerk: Jane Beeler
Deputy Clerk I: Theresa Soulier
Tribal Attorney and Prosecutor: Terry Hoyt
Appeals: Chapter 80; Tribal Court Code; Three member panel of judges; Notice of Appeals must be filed 20 days after judgement entered; Must post bond, filing fee, and transcript deposit.
Admission Requirements: Attorneys: Certificate of Good Standing from Wisconsin Supreme Court and fee of $75; Lay Advocates: Submit affidavit and documentation of reasons why they should be admitted.
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Constitution
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Civil (includes traffic, child welfare, child support, paternity, housing, truancy, domestic abuse, juvenile drinking, landlord/tenant, Conservation/Natural Resources on and off reservation, and divorce); and CHIPS for children 17 years of age and under, Small Claims, Probate; Criminal (probation by judges)
Personal Jurisdiction: Tribal members; limited non-members Indian and non-Indians; and depending on the subject matter.

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Menominee Tribal Court
PO Box 429
Keshena, WI 54135
Telephone: 715-799-3348
Fax: 715-799-4061

Chief Justice: Robert Kittecon
Judges: Stephan Grochowski, Wendell Askenette
Tribal Attorney: Rita Keshena
Tribal Prosecutor: Bill Kussel
Assistant Tribal Prosecutor: Mercedes Swimmer
D.V. Prosecutor: Vacant
Clerk of Court: Reynel Tucker
Appeals: Menominee Supreme Court
Admission Requirements: Attorney: Certificate of Good Standing and fee; Non-Attorney: Certificate of Completion of Paralegal training, fee and meet with Chief Justice.
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Constitution
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Criminal, Civil, Juvenile, Probate, Family, Traffic, Conservation and Small Claims
Personal Jurisdiction: Menominee Tribal members; Non-members regarding on reservation Small Claims; and pursuant to Inter-Tribal Agreements
Tribal Membership Criteria: At least 1/4 Menominee Blood

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Oneida Tribal Judicial System
PO Box 19
Oneida, WI 54155
Telephone: 920-497-5800
Fax: 920-497-5805

Chief Judicial Officer: Winnifred L. Thomas
Deputy Chief Judicial Officer: Leland Wigg-Ninham
Associate Judicial Officers: Mary Adams, Janice L. McLester, Dorothy Ninham, Lois Powless, Anita Barber, Robert Christjohn, Jennifer Webster, Gerald Cornelius and Gary Jordan
Staff Attorney: Paul Stenzel
Administrator: James Martin
Appellate Court: June Cornelius
Clerk of Trial Court: Leyne Orosco
Deputy Clerk of Court: Norma Brzezinski
Appellate Body: Five Judicial Officers
Trial Body: Three Judicial Officers
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Civil including Probate, Employment and Contract
Personal Jurisdiction: Tribal Members, Employees, Others Subject to Tribal Laws and Ordinances
Admission Requirement: None
Judicial Authority: Tribal Ordinance and General Tribal Council Approval

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Red Cliff Tribal Court
88385 Pike Rd., Hwy. 13
Bayfield, WI 54814
Telephone: (715) 779-3725
FAX: (715) 779-3724

Chief Judge: Donald Gurnoe
Associate Judge: Robert W. Buffalo
Tribal Attorney: Dave Ujke
Tribal Prosecutor: Laura Belanger
Clerk of Court: Heather Deragon
Appeals: Three-Judge Panel consisting of Judges from other tribes
Admission Requirements: Written and oral exam on tribal law and a fee.
Court's Source of Power: Constitution and Ordinances
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Conservation violations On/Off reservation; Small claims, Domestic abuse; Traffic; Child welfare; Tribal ordinances; Extensive civil code; Divorce
Personal Jurisdiction: Tribal members; limited non-member
Tribal Membership Criteria: Direct descendants of 1896 and 1934 Rolls and Vote of tribal members. Children born on the reservation to a tribal member are automatically members. Children born off the reservation may be automatically admitted provided that the birth is reported within one year. Those persons whose births are reported later than one year must be voted into membership.

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St. Croix Tribal Court
24663 Angeline Avenue
Webster, WI 54893
Telephone: 715-349-2195
Fax: 715-349-5784

Chief Judge: Gloria Merrill
Associate Judge: Crystal LaPointe
Tribal Prosecutor: Caroyl Long
Tribal Attorney: Howard Bichler
Clerk of Court: Penny Nelson
Assistant Clerk of Court: Jackie Churchill
Appeals: Thee-member panel composed of judges of other tribal courts.
Admission Requirement: $25 Fee
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Constitution; Authority given by Tribal Council; and not a separate branch of government
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: General civil jurisdiction
Personal Jurisdiction: St. Croix Tribal members; non-members regarding Reservation small claims; and pursuant to Inter-Tribal agreements.
Tribal Membership Criteria: At least ancestry and 1/2 Indian blood.

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Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Tribal Court
3051 Sand Lake Road
Crandon, WI 54520
Telephone: 715-478-7608
Fax: 715-478-7631
E-Mail: crissctc@newnorth.net

Chief Judge: Fred A. Ackley, Jr.
Judges: Debra E. VanZile, Kerry A. Fox, and Chris McGeshick
Tribal Attorney: Glenn Reynolds
Tribal Prosecutor: Gary D. Knudson
Clerk of Court: Chris Burnett
Appeals: Three-member Judicial Panel from Great Lakes Tribal Judges Association
Admission Requirements: Must be admitted to Wisconsin Bar and pay a $75 fee
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Constitution and Tribal Ordinance
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: Conservation violations; some child protection and domestic abuse matters; and Judges perform marriages
Personal Jurisdiction: Tribal members
Tribal Membership Criteria: Born to Tribal member; descendant of a tribal member listed on 1937 Roll.

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Stockbridge-Munsee Tribal Court
N8476 Moh He Con Nuck Road
Bowler, WI 54416
Telephone: 715-793-4397
Fax: 715-793-4880

Chief Judge: Robert Miller, Jr.
Associate Judge: Kimberly Vele
Tribal Attorneys: Sharon Greene-Gretzinger, Doug Huck, and Bridget Swanke
Tribal Prosecutor: (shared)
Clerk of Court: Wayne Malone, Sr.
Appeals: Three-Judge panel (one from Stockbridge-Munsee and two from Wisconsin Tribal Judges Association)
Admission Requirement: Examination for admission to practice
Court's Source of Power: Tribal Ordinance
Subject Matter Jurisdiction: General Civil (by ordinance), including employment, child protection, domestic abuse, housing and probate, family, youth in need, guardianship, divorce.
Personal Jurisdiction: Those with Tribal interactions
Tribal Membership Criteria: 25% Stockbridge-Munsee Blood

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The above directory of Wisconsin Tribal Courts contain links to Court web sites and court procedures. All of these links are to sites which are neither maintained nor hosted by Wisconsin Judicare. Therefore, Wisconsin Judicare can not and does not guarantee the accuracy of the information found on the sites linked above. You should check with the proper tribal authorities before relying on or using any of the information found on the sites linked above.

This information is current as of January 2007. For more up-to-date information please contact the individual court.

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Last Updated: June 26, 2007

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Wisconsin Judicare and the Indian Law Office provide the information on this Web site as a public service to low-income persons in northern Wisconsin, our participating attorneys, card issuers, and other Internet users. While the information on this site is about legal issues, it is not legal advice. Laws vary from state to state and even federal laws may be applied differently in different states. Moreover, due to the rapidly changing nature of the law and our reliance upon information provided by outside sources, Wisconsin Judicare and the Indian Law Office make no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this site or at other sites to which this site links.

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