Mission Statement
To implement and educate tribes on tribal justice systems within the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region

Program Purpose
To provide technical assistance for planning, enhancing, and implementing Tribal Courts in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region. This program is recommended to Tribes who are interested in establishing Tribal Courts in their Tribal government. 

Program Description
This program is designed for Tribes to develop Tribal Courts. The assistance includes developing Tribes Codes, rules of procedures, seeking funding, providing Tribal Court forums, court records management system, and on-going training for Tribal Court Personnel such as Tribal Judge and Tribal Court clerks.

“Tribal powers with respect to issues of tribal self-governance exist unless divested.”  John v. Baker (1999)

of tribal self-governance exist unless divested.”  John v. Baker (199

Tribal Justice Information

Carol Brown, General Counsel
email: CBrown@avcp.org
Phone (907) 543-7305
Fax (907) 543-3369

Carol J. Brown serves as General Counsel for the Association of Village Council Presidents, (AVCP), a Tribal non-profit consortium in Bethel, Alaska, providing services to the 56 federally recognized Tribes in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, a 59,000 square mile region in southwest Alaska.  Carol is an enrolled member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.  She graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin Law School and served as Associate Editor for the Wisconsin Law Review.  Her undergraduate degree is in English literature and writing. 
Prior to coming to Alaska, she co-founded the first Native American women owned law-firm and provided legal advice to Tribes on issues relating to self-determination,  land, treaty rights, tribal constitutions, code development, gaming, co-jurisdictional agreements, and the preservation of Tribal culture and traditions.  She represented Tribes before the U.S. Supreme Court, the 7th and 8th Circuit Courts of Appeals and numerous Tribal Courts.  Among her many legal accomplishments, she successfully represented a Tribe in a precedent-setting dispute over the preservation of a Tribal culturally-sensitive site on fee land.  Mills v. Vilas Co. Board of Adjustments, 261. Wis2d 598, 660 N.W.2d 705 (Ct. App. 2003).  
She served on the Native American Advisory Group, providing advice on tribal-federal agency consultation within the U.S. Executive Branch and also on a Wisconsin Governor appointed State-Tribal Relations committee.  She helped found Midwest Environmental Advocates, a non-profit legal advocacy group, with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Carol has also presented at numerous educational events promoting the appreciation and understanding of American Indian culture.  She is the proud mother of two boys, holds a First-class Brown Belt in Ta Kwon Do, and is a traditional jingle dress dancer.  

April January, Tribal Justice Director
email: AJanuary@avcp.org
Phone (907) 543-7326
Fax (907) 543-7349

April January is the Tribal Justice Director for the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) in Bethel, Alaska. AVCP is tribal consortium to 56 tribes providing human services, social services and other culturally relevant programs in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Formally, a Planning & Development Director for AVCP, she become the new Tribal Justice Director in February of 2007. 
A Haskell Indian Nations University Alumni, who was involved in Alaska Club and a cast member in the play ‘Strength of Indian Women’.  Currently, she serves on the American Indian Law Center, Inc. Advisory Group, providing guidance and recommendations to their Tribal Court Training Program curriculum and  on the Alaska Native Justice Center Youth Alcohol Advisory Committee that approaches rural minor consuming alcohol-related offenses. 
April January is the daughter of Martha Wassilie Pleasant and Julius Pleasant Sr.  Second oldest of six, (now five) children, she is half Yupik and half Inupiat Eskimo descendant . 

 

Click here to return to the Services page.