Tribal Sovereignty and Jurisdiction
- OVW Approved?
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Yes
- Description
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Wednesday January 14, 2026
11:00 AM PT/ Noon MT/ 1:00 PM CT/ 2:00 ET
90-minute webinar formatIn this webinar, participants will receive information on the history and importance of Inherent Tribal Sovereignty and why that premise is so important to Tribes. The webinar will then delve into Tribal civil and criminal jurisdiction in Indian country that is of paramount importance when providing legal assistance to Tribal clients in Indian country.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the basics of inherent Tribal sovereignty;
- Understand the basics of Tribal civil jurisdiction; and
- Understand the basics of Tribal criminal jurisdiction.
Bonnie Clairmont, Victim Advocacy Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
Bonnie Clairmont (Ho-Chunk) serves from TLPI’s Minnesota office as the Victim Advocacy Specialist. Prior to her employment with TLPI, she was the Outreach/Client Services Coordinator for Sexual Offense Services of Ramsey County, a rape crisis center. While employed there, Bonnie provided leadership in the development of Sexual Assault Response Teams and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programs and offered guidance with multidisciplinary sexual assault protocol development. She has worked more than twenty-five years advocating for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. She has dedicated much of her work to providing and improving services for victim/survivors of sexual assault, battering, and child sexual abuse, particularly those from American Indian communities. For four years she coordinated the Strengthening the Circle of Trust Conference, a conference focusing on sexual assault and exploitation perpetrated by American Indian spiritual leaders/medicine men. Bonnie co-edited a recently published book “Sharing Our Stories of Survival” an anthology of writing by Native Women who’ve experienced violence. Bonnie provided technical assistance to research conducted by Amnesty International USA that led to the report, “Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous Women from sexual violence in the USA.” She and her late partner Jim Clairmont have two children and five grandchildren.
Suzanne Garcia, Tribal Legal Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
Suzanne M. García is a Tribal legal specialist with a demonstrated commitment to supporting Tribal self-determination and the inherent authority of Native Nations to empower and protect their families and communities. She received her law degree from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, and her expertise encompasses child welfare, youth justice, domestic violence, healing to wellness courts, and Tribal/federal/state relations. Throughout her career, Suzanne has held a variety of roles. She has served as in-house counsel for a Tribe, managing litigation, negotiations, and program development. She has also worked as a training and technical assistance provider for national non-profit organizations that serve Native Nations and staff attorney representing victims of domestic violence in both tribal and state courts.
Presenters: