In 2026, the Tribal Supreme Court Project commemorates a quarter-century of service to Indian Country and envisions the next 25 years of protecting and furthering the interests of Tribal Nations at the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Tribal Supreme Court Project, a joint project of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI),works to improve strategy and promote coordination for U.S. Supreme Court cases that may affect Tribal Nations. Established in 2001, the Tribal Supreme Court Project is celebrating 25 years of service to Indian Country this year. When the project started, Tribal Nations in the Court were losing a historic low of 80% of their cases. In contrast, and with the leadership of the project, in the last decade they have won 70% of their cases.
“Through the Tribal Supreme Court Project, we have been able to protect treaty rights, Tribal sovereignty, and the rights of Tribal Nations in the U.S. courts. The project proves that we are stronger when we work together to serve the interests of Tribal Nations and Native people,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr.
“For 25 years, the Tribal Supreme Court Project’s volunteers and partners along with staff from the Native American Rights Fund and the National Congress of American Indians have worked tirelessly to advance best Native American interests before the U.S. Supreme Court. This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate our progress and plan how we can best serve Tribal Nations for the next 25 years,” said NARF Senior Staff Attorney Melody McCoy.
Some highlights of the 25th anniversary celebration:
- A new logo and an upgraded website with streamlined navigation, improved design, and new features, including easier access to selected cases’ court documents, news highlights, and a calendar of selected cases’ upcoming dates.
- A report, to be released in April 2026, will detail past accomplishments and future goals to better serve Tribal Nations and advocates.
- A series of short videos about the project will be previewed throughout the year and featured in full in September 2026. The videos include conversations with project staff and volunteers past and present, as well as Tribal leaders who have benefited from the project’s work.
- A Washington, D.C., event to be held on September 17-18, 2026, will bring together project supporters, partners, Tribal leaders, U.S. elected officials, and legal experts to celebrate the project and its impact.
To learn more, visit sct.narf.org.
More blog posts
