Research Guides: American Indian Law & Culture: Start Here

Resource and Practice Centers

These practice and resource centers are aggregations of multiple research sources in the area of Indian Law. Searching within these collections will enable you to better find relevant information in the field of Indian Law.

Native American Law on Westlaw
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Native American Law on Lexis
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HeinOnline American Indian Law
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Includes tribal constitutions and by-laws as well as federal legislation and legislative histories.
LLMC Digital Native American Collection
Indian Law News Bulletins
From the National Indian Law Library, these bulletins provide succinct and timely information about new developments in Indian Law, including federal, state, and tribal case law; legislative and regulatory actions; and secondary sources.

American Indian Law vs. Tribal Law

"American Indian Law" might be better termed "Federal Law about American Indians." It refers primarily to the body of law dealing with the status of Indian tribes and their relationship to the federal government. This includes, among other things, treaties, statutes, cases, administrative actions, and executive orders.

Tribal law, by contrast, is the internal law that each tribe applies to its own affairs and members. Tribal laws vary greatly, and may range from oral traditions to entire codes.

This guide provides information for researchers in the fields of Indian and Tribal law.

Indian Law Timeline
A timeline of federal Indian Law, with citations.

Research Guides

Indian Law Research Guides from the National Indian Law Library
Provides research sources and tips on Indian and Tribal law generally and by specific topic.
Indigenous Law Portal from the Law Library of Congress
Provides links to relevant resources and a map-based tribe finder.
Indians of North America Guide from the Law Library of Congress
Includes links to resources related to federal Indian Law.
Federal Indian Law Guide from Arizona State Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Provides an annotated list of resources for researching federal Indian Law.
Faye Hadley's Native American Research Guides
Prepared by law librarian at the University of Tulsa, includes guides to: Indian Gaming, Native American Legal Websites, Tribal Courts, Codes and Constitutions, Tribal Economic Development, among others.

Quick Links

Helpful Books

American Indian Law in a Nutshell
ISBN: 9781628100082
Publication Date: 2014-12-05
This guide provides a reliable resource on American Indian law. Its authoritative text covers the essentials of this complex body of law, with attention to the governmental policies underlying it. The work emphasizes both the historical development of Federal Indian Law and recent matters such as the evolution of Indian gaming, issues arising under the Indian Child Welfare Act, and the present enforcement of treaty rights. It addresses the policy and law applicable to Alaska Natives, but does not deal with Native Hawai'ians.
American Indian Law by Robert Anderson; Bethany Berger; Sarah Krakoff; Philip Frickey
ISBN: 9780314290236
Publication Date: 2015-02-27
This casebook provides an introduction to the legal relationships between American Indian tribes, the federal government, individual states, and others. The foundational cases are incorporated with statutory text, background material, hypothetical questions, and discussion problems to structure the classroom experience and enhance student engagement. Historical materials are explained to highlight their modern relevance. The third edition includes expanded materials on law and order within Indian country, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and recent Executive Branch actions that increase tribal authority.