Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Mission

The mission of the Legal Department is to provide timely, quality, and effective legal advice and support to the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council and Tribal entities in furtherance and protection of the Tribe’s sovereignty, constitution, and laws. 

---

The in-house Legal Department represents the Tribe in various aspects of the law.  The department’s attorneys work on a daily basis with the Tribal Council, Tribal officials, and Tribal and Casino staff to identify, analyze, and resolve legal issues. The Department is the primary contact for routine legal matters faced by the Tribe’s departmental staff, such as review of contracts, personnel matters, policy revisions, commenting on state and federal legislation, and other legal issues. The Department’s Water Attorney protects the Tribe’s water rights by advocating for the Tribe on state and federal water policy and legislation and monitoring potential threats to tribal water.  Another specialized position in the Department is the Legislative Attorney who is responsible for revising and drafting the Tribal Code.  Finally, the Department represents the Tribe in civil litigation before the Tribal, state and federal courts and works closely with  outside counsel on a wide range of issues.

In addition, the Department includes the Prosecutor’s Office, which includes the Tribal Prosecutor and a Paralegal.  The Tribal Prosecutor represents the Tribe in criminal proceedings in Tribal Court prosecuting violations of the Tribal Code. The Tribe is a partner with the United States Department of Justice and Office of Violence Against Women in a Special Assistant US Attorney grant, which allows the Tribal Prosecutor to prosecute violations of federal law in federal court in conjunction with the US Attorney’s Office. This grant is focused on addressing domestic violence.

Two of the Department’s assistants are sworn in as Lay Counsel in Tribal Court, which allows them to represent the Tribe in civil and criminal proceedings where a law degree is not required.

Due to its representation of the Tribal organization, the Department cannot provide legal assistance to individual Tribal members; however, on occasion, the Department has been able to provide Tribal members with referrals to other attorneys.

Return to Departments