Indian Child Welfare Act

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), 25 U.S.C. §1901 et. seq., is considered one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation for tribes, children and families. Enacted in 1978, the ICWA provides tribes, parents, Indian children and Indian custodians with a variety of rights and articulates federal minimum standards which must be applied in state court child custody proceedings. MPKGC’s attorneys understand and work to diligently protect the most valuable and vital resource of tribes—their children.

Our ICWA practice is a key area of expertise for MPKGC attorneys, who worked to codify the ICWA in California with the passage of Senate Bill 678 in 2006, which became effective in 2007. Senate Bill 678 codified the ICWA in California Welfare & Institutions Code, Probate Code and Family Code. The legislation is recognized as the most comprehensive state legislation on ICWA in the country. MPKGC attorneys only represent Indian tribes in ICWA cases throughout California and have extensive experience in the state dependency system as well as with assisting our tribal clients with tribal customary adoptions for tribal children. We also assist with county ICWA Roundtables, offer trainings, and advise our tribal clients on all aspects of ICWA compliance at the county and state level. Since our firm represents tribes in ICWA cases, if you are a parent, caregiver or Indian custodian and believe you may have an ICWA case, we urge you to contact your nearest bar association who may be able to assist you in locating legal counsel.

For a consultation about how we can assist with an Indian Child Welfare Act matter, we welcome you to contact MPKGC.