U.S. Department
of Justice
About OTJ
Mission
The Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) was initially formed in 1995 in response to requests from Tribal leaders for a dedicated point of contact for Indian country-specific legal and policy matters. The office was made permanent on July 29, 2010, with the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA). 25 U.S.C. § 3665a(2010). The duties of the Office are described in Section 106 of the Act:
(c) DUTIES.—The Office of Tribal Justice shall—
(1) serve as the program and legal policy advisor to the Attorney General with respect to the treaty and trust relationship between the United States and Indian tribes;
(2) serve as the point of contact for federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations with respect to questions and comments regarding policies and programs of the Department and issues relating to public safety and justice in Indian country; and
(3) coordinate with other bureaus, agencies, offices, and divisions within the Department of Justice to ensure that each component has an accountable process to ensure meaningful and timely consultation with tribal leaders in the development of regulatory policies and other actions that affect-
(A) the trust responsibility of the United States to Indian tribes;
(B) any tribal treaty provision;
(C) the status of Indian tribes as sovereign governments; or
(D) any other tribal interest.
OTJ’s broad sweep of responsibilities involve components across the Department, so the Office is one of five offices and divisions that report directly to both the Deputy Attorney General and the Associate Attorney General. The structure and responsibilities of OTJ are described in 28 CFR 0.134, which provides additional guidance related to the three primary duties described in the TLOA.
OTJ Staff
Daron Carreiro
(Chickasaw Nation)
Acting Director
Christopher B. Chaney
(Seneca-Cayuga Nation)
Principal Deputy Director
JoAnn Kintz
(Oglala Sioux Tribe)
Deputy Director
Jeanne Jacobs
Chief of Staff
Tamera Begay
(Navajo Nation)
Attorney Advisor
Van DeBergh
Attorney Advisor
Julia Giffin
(Sac and Fox Nation)
Attorney Advisor
Martin Earring
(Cheyenne River Sioux)
Staff Assistant
Native American Policies
DOJ Sovereignty Policy
The Department of Justice Policy on Indian Sovereignty and Government-to-Government Relations with Indian Tribes reaffirms the Justice Department's recognition of the sovereign status of federally recognized Indian tribes as domestic dependent nations and reaffirms adherence to the principles of government-to-government relations; the Policy also informs Department personnel, other federal agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, and the public of the Department's working relationships with federally recognized Indian tribes; and guides the Department in its work in the field of Indian affairs ...
Department of Justice Policy on Indian Sovereignty (archived document)
Department of Justice Policy Statement on Tribal Consultation
Department of Justice Statement of Principles
Tribal Consultation
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal officials in the development of Federal policies that have tribal implications, to strengthen the United States government-to-government relationships with Indian tribes, and to reduce the imposition of unfunded mandates upon Indian tribes; it is hereby ordered ...
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
On April 20, 2010, United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Susan E. Rice announced at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that the United States had decided to review the U.S. position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The United States undertook a formal review process, during which the U.S. Department of State and other Federal agencies engaged in consultations with federally recognized tribes and dialogues with interest non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders. On December 16, 2010, at the 2010 White House Tribal Nations Conference, President Obama announced that the United States supports the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The President stated that the aspirations the Declaration affirms, including the respect for the institutions and rich cultures of Native peoples, are aspirations we must all seek to fulfill. The President's statement was accompanied by a written Announcement of U.S. Support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Announcement of U.S. Support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (archived document)