The Indigenous Access to Civil Justice Global Conference seeks to collectively identify and broadly mobilize what access to civil justice means for Indigenous people in postcolonial and settler colonial settings. Bringing together diverse scholars from across the globe, this conference will constructively unsettle conventional legal approaches to civil justice; build community; and enrich emergent access to justice innovations across jurisdictions and geographies. Presentation proposals are being accepted until October 14, 2022.

Who can apply?

Researchers, in or beyond the academy, whose work explores the interface between Indigenous experiences, identities, laws, and/or courts and access to civil justice. We welcome proposals on these or other related themes:

• Conceptualizations of access and justice in Indigenous legal systems
• Cross-jurisdictional access to justice challenges and collaborative possibilities
• Tribal sovereignty and access to justice
• The role of community paralegals, tribal lay advocates, and other non-lawyer actors
• Place and spatial justice, including housing, climate change, and land/property rights
• The health and wellbeing impacts of justice gaps in Indigenous communities
• Evidence-based practices
• Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and family law
• Tribal, customary and peacemaking courts, restorative justice, and other justice forums
• Indigenous research methodologies and access to justice
• Responsible data, technology, and information exchange
• Implementing and evaluating Indigenous access to justice initiatives in tribal and non-tribal court settings

Research exploring these topics from any jurisdiction and geography is welcome, as is comparative research.

How do I apply to participate?

Submit a one-page proposal describing your project.  This proposal should make clear:

1. Your research question
2. An overview of the data you will use or have access to
3. The relationship of the project to the goals of the conference

Proposals should be submitted to indigenousa2jconf@gmail.com. Individuals will be notified by November 16, 2022 if their submission has been accepted.

Is there a registration fee?

There is no registration fee for the conference. Limited travel scholarships will be available and will be prioritized for participants who would not otherwise be able to attend.

Organizing Team

The conference is organized by Matthew Burnett (American Bar Foundation), Lisa Moore (Canadian Forum on Civil Justice), Rebecca Sandefur (Chickasaw Nation; Arizona State University and American Bar Foundation), and Michele Statz (University of Minnesota).

Questions? Email indigenousa2jconf@gmail.com.

To download a copy of the call for proposals, visit: https://ajrndotco.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/indigenous-access-to-civil-justice-cfp.pdf.