Pictured above: Judge Van Norman in middle, LSIC Community Council members left and right. Earlier this year I had the immense honor of being appointed to the bench at Lower Sioux. The LSIC Tribal Court hears a wide variety of…
Check out my latest article in peer-reviewed ABA journal The Urban Lawyer: “The Way Back Home: The Indian Land Tenure Foundation ‘s Survey of Tribal Land-Back Projects Across the United States,” available at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/state_local_government/resources/urban-lawyer/53-1/the-way-back-home-indian-land-tenure-foundation-survey/. Proud to highlight the excellent work…
I recently had the chance to talk to the great, nationally-syndicated radio show Native America Calling (May 13, 2024). For my portion, I talk about land back projects–or return of land to tribes. I go over a project I’ve done…
I recently got to speak on a great panel about what it means to practice law in Indian Country, “Tribal Practice: Perspective from Tribal Judges and Practitioners.” It was fun to reconnect with my co-presenters, all of whom I’ve worked…
The Minnesota Supreme Court recently agreed with my client, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (the “Band”), that under state law, groundwater is to be regulated as Class 1 drinking water. While the decision specifically affirms Minnesota…
I’m proud to be on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s legal team in this first-in-Minnesota tribal appeal of an off-reservation water discharge permit. The Minnesota Court of Appeals has granted a portion of the Band’s appeal…
Last night I attended the amazing annual event that is the Indian Horse Relay and Market at Canterbury Downs, hosted by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. It was great to spend time there with the good folks of Native-owned general…
Pictured: New SWO Associate Judge Sara K. Van Norman (on right) being sworn in. Last week, I traveled to Agency Village on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation in northeastern South Dakota to be sworn in and hear my first cases…