Being a part of what was once known as “Indian Territory,” Northeast Oklahoma has a
vast concentration of North American Indian Tribes and tribal governments. Federally
recognized tribes are “sovereign” entities with rights of self-government that resemble those held
by states, counties, cities, and towns. Tribes enjoy sovereign immunity from suit except for suits
by the United States. However, a tribe may waive its sovereign immunity by contract.
Whereas federal Indian law concerns the relationship between federal, state, and tribal
governments, tribal law is the law tribes develop and apply to their members and territories.
Most tribes have their own written constitutions and each tribal government operates according
to its own constitutional rules. Indeed, tribes today have their own governments, tribal courts,
tribal law codes, and even tribal police forces.
With the authorization of Indian gaming by the federal government within the State of
Oklahoma in recent years, tribal commerce and economic development have flourished. This
increased economic activity has led to vast array of business dealings, commercial litigation and
even personal injury litigation that is unique to tribes and tribal government. Navigating these
issues requires specialized knowledge, not only of federal Indian law, but also of specific tribal
governments and related state compacts with the various tribal governments. The attorneys at
Logan & Lowry, LLP, have extensive experience in Indian law and tribal matters, including
litigating on behalf of and against tribal entities in state, federal and tribal courts on various
contract, tort and family law matters, interacting with tribal councils, gaming commissions and
other tribal agencies, and resolving title issues unique to Indian real property rights.