The Big Valley Rancheria Tribal Court was informally established in August 2009 and formally established by tribal ordinance September 25, 2009. The court has recently begun hearing primarily civil disputes between tribal members. Areas where the court is or will soon be hearing matters include hearings on violations of tribal ordinances, Indian Child Welfare Act cases, and housing matters (unlawful detainer).
The purpose of the Big Valley Rancheria Tribal Court is to function as a place to work together with tribal members and tribal visitors for resolution of disputes that are within the jurisdiction of the tribal court.
The tribal court is designed to serve the tribal community, with the tribal judges as peacemakers. The goal is to bring people together, rebuild relationships, and promote community responsibility through ownership. The tribal judges have specialized training in traditional dispute resolution techniques in order to encourage the parties involved in a dispute to participate toward reaching a solution.
