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April 15 & 16 - ICWA Briefing & Prayer Gathering - Tribal Supreme Court Project Update

April 12, 2013

Tribal Supreme Court Project Update
Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl
 
Native American Rights Fund (NARF)| National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
in partnership with the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
 
Schedule for Week of April 15

MONDAY - National Teleconference Briefing on in
ICWA Supreme Court Case Oral Arguments

TUESDAY - Prayer Gathering at U.S. Supreme Court

 
Beginning Monday April 15, 2013 the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) - in partnership with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), and the Cherokee Nation will host a number of events in advance of the April 16, U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments in the case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl. The case is an appeal to a South Carolina Supreme Court decision in an adoption case involving the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) that has received much national attention. The case challenges the rights of a Native family to be together, the applicability of ICWA, and also implicates fundamental federal Indian law principles.
 
The Tribal Supreme Court Project partners - NARF and NCAI - along with NICWA, organized a legal response to the appeal which has resulted in overwhelming response in support of the family, ICWA, and federal Indian law. In total, 24 amicus briefs were submitted in support of the Brown family - Veronica the Daughter and Dusten the father - and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).
Joining the U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli and 19 states, including 18 state attorneys general, were a large array of groups who submitted a total of 24 separate briefs. The overwhelming support includes 17 former and current members of Congress; Casey Family Programs, the Children's Defense Fund, and 16 other child welfare organizations; the American Civil Liberties Union; a broad coalitions of psychology associations, child advocates, and legal experts; adult Native American adoptees; and tribal amicus briefs which include 333 American Indian tribes.
 
The Tribal Supreme Court Project invites Indian Country and friends of Indian Country to join us in a week of solidarity related to this vital case - including a National Teleconference Briefing for the general public and the media on Monday and an Indian Country prayer gathering on the stairs of the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. Read below as to how you can be involved.

MONDAY - April 15, 2013 - 1 p.m. Eastern
National Teleconference Briefing on
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)


The Tribal Supreme Court Project - the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) - along with the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), will host a national teleconference and briefing to review the arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl.
 
During the call, participants will hear from a variety of individuals, legal experts, and leaders regarding the case before the Supreme Court on Tuesday April 16, 2013.
 
Date of Call: Monday, April 15, 2013

*Time of Call: 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
*Operator Assisted Toll-Free Dial-In Number:     (877) 856-2376

Invited:
Members of the General Public and Members of the Media
Click here to RSVP in advance.
 
Schedule of Call
•    Introductory Statements by Tribal Supreme Court Project - NARF & NCAI - and NICWA
•    Statement by Chief Bill John Baker of the Cherokee Nation
•    Statements by John Nichols & Shannon Jones - Legal Representation for Brown Family
•    Statements by Amicus Briefs in Support
o    Casey Family Programs Brief - Martin Guggenheim
o    Adult Adoptees Brief - Diane Tells His Name
o    History of ICWA - Terry Cross, National Indian Child Welfare Association
•    Question & Answer Session for Media

For more information contact Thom Wallace, NCAI Communications Director - twallace@ncai.org


TUESDAY - April 16, 2013 - 8 a.m. Eastern
Indian Country Prayer Gathering on Steps of Supreme Court

Indian Country and friends of Indian Country are invited to join us as we gather on Tuesday April 16, 2013 at 8 a.m. on the steps of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC for a prayer gathering in advance of the oral arguments of
Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl.
 
Members of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), and the Cherokee Nation welcome all to join in this respectful moment of reflection and prayer.
 
For more information contact Robert Holden, NCAI Deputy Director - rholden@ncai.org
 
 
All of the briefs filed by supporters of Dusten Brown's right to raise his daughter can be found at: http://bit.ly/ZrIS22
 
All filings for the case can be found at: http://bit.ly/11TpaDY
 
More information about the case can be found at: http://www.nicwa.org/babyveronica/


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Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights.


     
 
 
   
 

 

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