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Southwest Cross-Jurisdictional Webinar Series

This is a virtual conference held in a series of five Zoom webinars that include panelist and attendee discussion of topics of concern to state and tribal communities.

The goal is to promote collaboration, exchange of ideas, and inspiration across state, tribal, and federal jurisdictions. Judges and other persons who have been engaged in cross-jurisdictional cooperation through a court forum, consortium or other means from the following states are encouraged to participate: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Information and resources for each panel are found below.

 

Panel 1: Cross-Jurisdictional Cooperation and Collaboration
 

November 13, 2020 1:30 p.m. (mst)

Panelist Speakers

  • Hon. Anne McKeig, Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court
  • Hon. Lawrence King, Chief Judge, Colorado River Indian Tribal Court (Arizona)
  • Hon. Christine Williams, Chief Judge, Wilton Rancheria Tribal Court (California)
  • Hon. Patricia Lenzi, Chief Judge, Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Court (Nevada)
  • Hon. Randy Collins, Chief Judge, Acoma Pueblo Tribal Court (New Mexico)
  • Chief Counsel David Withey, Administrative Office of the Courts (Arizona)

Areas of Discussion

  • Recognition of judgments - full faith and credit / comity
  • Joint Jurisdiction courts
  • Interstate/intertribal compacts
  • Uniform Laws Commission– application to tribal members

Materials and Links

 

Panel 2: Juvenile Dependency
 

December 4, 2020 1:30 p.m. (mst)

Panelist Speakers

  • Hon. Robert Brutinel, Chief Justice, Arizona Supreme Court
  • Sheldon Spotted Elk, Casey Family Programs (Colorado)
  • Hon. William Thorne, retired, Court of Appeals (Utah)
  • Hon. Scott McDonald, Pima County ICWA Court (Arizona)
  • Special Master, Catherine Begaye, ICWA Court (New Mexico)
  • Comm. Steff R. Padilla, California Superior Court
  • Tamara Walters, Tribal AAG, Pascua Yaqui Tribe (Arizona)
  • Verna Johnson, Project Manager, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona

Areas of Discussion:

  • ICWA courts
  • Customary Adoption

Materials and Links

 

Panel 3: Tribal Jurisdiction
 

January 8, 2021 1:30 p.m. (mst)

Panelist Speakers

  • Hon. Ramona Gonzalez, La Crosse County Circuit Court, (Wisconsin) and immediate past president of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)
  • Hon. Lawrence King, Chief Judge, Colorado River Indian Tribal Court (Arizona)
  • Hon. Frank Demolli, Chief Judge, Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Court (New Mexico)
  • Merri Lopez-Keifer, Director, Office of Native American Affairs, Office of Attorney General, California Dept. of Justice
  • Sue Fahami, Chief Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Dept. of Justice (Nevada)
  • Alexander W. Samuels, Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Dept. of Justice (Arizona)
  • Oscar J. “O.J.” Flores, Chief Prosecutor, Pascua Yaqui Tribe (Arizona)

Areas of Discussion:

  • Missing and murdered indigenous women
  • Special DV Criminal Jurisdiction
  • Orders of Protection: Court and law enforcement
  • Human Trafficking
  • Sex offender registration

Materials and Links

 
Panel 4: State Jurisdiction
 

January 22, 2021 1:30 p.m. (mst)

Panelist Speakers

  • Hon. Barbara Vigil, Senior Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court
  • David Withey, Chief Counsel, Arizona Supreme Court
  • Shanda Breed, Adult Services Division Program Manager (Arizona)
  • Dori Littler, Arizona Interstate Compact Commissioner
  • Ann Gilmour, Judicial Council of California
  • Sheina Yellowhair, Tribal Liaison, Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona

Areas of Discussion:

  • Guardianships
  • Involuntary Commitment
  • Probation supervision collaboration
  • Interstate compact placement
  • State recognition of treatment services

Materials and Links

 
Panel 5: Juvenile Delinquency
 

February 5, 2021 1:30 p.m. (mst)

Panelist Speakers

  • Hon. Abby Abinanti, Chief Judge, Yurok Tribal Court and Co-Chair of Tribal Court – State Court Forum (California)
  • Hon. Lawrence King, Chair of the State, Tribal and Federal Court Forum (Arizona) and member of the Tribal Court – State Court Forum (California)
  • Hon. Devon Lee Lomayesva, Chief Judge, Intertribal Court of Southern California
  • Hon. Richard C. Blake, President of the National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA), Chief Judge for Redding Rancheria and Juvenile Healing to Wellness Judge for Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation Tribal Court. (California)
  • Hon. Gary E. LaRance, Judge for the Healing to Wellness Court (Nevada) and Chief Prosecutor for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada/California
  • Hon. John J. Romero, Jr., (retired) past president of National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)
  • Hon. Verna Teller, Chief Judge, Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court (New Mexico) and Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI)
  • Joe Kelroy, Juvenile Justice Services Division Director (Arizona)

Areas of Discussion:

  • Notice to tribes in delinquency cases
  • Detention alternatives
  • Tribal diversion alternatives
  • Human Trafficking
  • Use of tribal/traditional treatment services

Materials and Links