About Intertribal Court of Southern California

About the Intertribal Court of Southern California
The Intertribal Court of Southern California was formed in 2002 when the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association received a grant from the United States Department of Justice. The Court began operation in August of 2006.
The purpose of the Intertribal Court of Southern California is to provide its member tribes with an independent and culturally sensitive forum in which to present and resolve disputes.
The Intertribal Court of Southern California serves a consortium of tribes from across southern California. To join the Court, a tribe must adopt the Intertribal Court of Southern California Inter-Governmental Agreement by resolution. The tribe then appoints a representative to the Tribal Judicial Council of Southern California, the Court’s governing body.
The scope of the Intertribal Court of Southern California’s jurisdiction is defined by its member tribes, meaning that each tribe dictates which of its cases the Court is authorized to hear. Currently, the Court hears a variety of cases including public safety issues, tort claims, environmental issues, family law, conservatorships, enrollment issues, exclusions, and more. The
Court handles evictions for the All Mission Indian Housing Authority and hears a limited number of cases for several tribes not formally part of the Intertribal Court of Southern California consortium. The Court also offers arbitration and mediation services, and hears appeals.
The Intertribal Court of Southern California functions as a circuit court, with judges travelling to each reservation to resolve cases based on each tribe’s laws, customs, and traditions. The Court hears an average of 630 cases per year.