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Legal Information: Tribal

Abuse in Tribal Communities

Updated: 
November 6, 2019

Am I eligible to get a protection order?

Each Native American tribe/pueblo and Alaskan village has different laws that describe who is eligible to file for a protection order and who is not. Generally, if you have been the victim of domestic violence by a family or household member (as defined by your tribal laws) or you have a fear of serious injury or harm by a family or household member, then you may be eligible to file for a protection order. Most tribes/pueblos or Alaskan village require you to be “an Indian” in order for you to file in tribal court for a protection order. You normally don’t have to be enrolled if you live within the tribal territory, but the violence or threat of violence has to take place within that tribal territory.

In order to find out what the laws in your area are, you may want to go to your tribal courthouse and ask the court clerk what the eligibility requirements are for filing for a tribal protection order. To find the contact information for the tribal court in your tribe/pueblo or village, you can look on the Tribal Court Clearinghouse website