Discover How the University of Montana Clinic is Safeguarding the Legal Heritage of Montana Tribes

MISSOULA — A powerful initiative is taking shape at the University of Montana. The Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic is creating the Indian Law Portal, a digital archive of legal documents from Montana’s tribal nations. This project aims to highlight tribal sovereignty and preserve vital legal history.

Kekek Stark, a law professor and director of the clinic, emphasizes the project’s significance. “Every time we go out to scan documents, we find information that has been lost for years,” she says. This effort isn’t just about archiving; it seeks to promote understanding of Indigenous law in Montana’s legal context.

The Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic, the oldest of its kind in the U.S., allows law students to work on this essential project. They travel to remote locations, sometimes driving for ten hours, seeking permission from tribal nations to archive their legal documents. Once collected, these documents are uploaded to a central online repository maintained by the Jameson Law Library.

David Ricci, a third-year law student from the Little Shell Tribe, describes the excitement of uncovering forgotten information. “We find documents in basements and old vaults,” he shares. “This could build a foundation for future laws.”

As tribal nations draft new laws, they often look to their history as a guide. Stark explains that knowledge from past laws plays a crucial role in shaping the future of tribal governance. “Tribal principles of justice are about restoring harmony and balance,” she notes. Each discovered document adds another piece to the foundation of tribal sovereignty.

The project also empowers tribal members, scholars, and the public by offering access to a centralized source of legal records. This accessibility can facilitate deeper understanding and comparative studies in Indian Law. In fact, UM’s law school is the sole entity pursuing this level of comprehensive documentation in Montana.

Yet, challenges remain. Long trips and the meticulous nature of scanning documents make this a demanding project. Still, the commitment from the team and support from Montana tribes have kept the initiative thriving. The Indian Law Portal is more than just a digital archive; it’s a testament to the university’s dedication to education and Indigenous communities.

The project aims to preserve these legal histories for future generations. As the archive grows with each visit to tribal nations, so does the wealth of knowledge it contains. Success will be measured not just by the volume of information but by the impact it has on legal scholarship and how it connects tribal nations with the wider academic community.

For students like Ricci, the experience has been transformative. “Hearing their stories and handling these documents has deepened my respect for the resilience of Montana’s Tribal Nations,” he reflects. “It’s been meaningful, and I’ll carry this experience with me forever.”

This project not only preserves history but also strengthens ties within Indian Country, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous legal traditions today.



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Indian Country,Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic,Missoula,Montana,University of Montana