ICWA Courts
ICWA Courts in Minnesota
ICWA Courts are state courts that strive to be a model for implementing ICWA and MIFPA in child-welfare cases involving American Indian children, families, and Tribal Nations. ICWA Courts apply best practices in American Indian Child Welfare that carry out not only the specific requirements in ICWA, but also the “spirit of the law,” the reasons ICWA was enacted.
ICWA Courts are structured to:
- promote authentic, robust collaboration with Tribal Nations, and
- provide safety-focused, solution-oriented engagement with families, delivered with cultural humility.
The ICWA Baseline Measures Report (2020) shows that ICWA Courts improve outcomes for children, families, and Tribal Nations involved in child-welfare cases.
Minnesota ICWA Court Collaborative
Minnesota currently has five active ICWA Courts in the following counties, with additional counties seeking to establish an ICWA Court:
- Beltrami (In progress)
- Carlton
- Dakota (In progress)
- Hennepin
- Ramsey
- St. Louis - Duluth
- St. Louis – Virginia
The CJI State-Tribal Partnership Coordinator provides administrative support to new and existing ICWA Courts to effectively implement the principles of ICWA Courts. Lead judges from each of the state’s ICWA Courts meet regularly as the “ICWA Courts Collaborative,” to learn from other ICWA Courts, advise on State-Tribal Partnership projects, and support ongoing improvement of ICWA Courts around the state.
Contact the State-Tribal Partnership staff with questions about ICWA Courts in Minnesota.
National Resource on ICWA Courts
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) ICWA Courts
What Lessons Can We Learn from ICWA Courts? Casey Family Programs, June 2025
ICWA Courts Training
ICWA/MIFPA Foundations Training for CJI Cohorts
The Children’s Justice Initiative partners with the Minnesota Tribal Training & Certification Partnership (TTCP) to provide foundational ICWA/MIFPA trainings for court personnel and other professionals involved in ICWA cases. ICWA/MIFPA Foundations for CJI Cohorts is offered monthly at rotating locations around the state or virtually. The two-day training is free of charge and tailored to the training needs of court personnel and attorneys. For information on registration and dates, please see the Trainings tab.
Targeted ICWA Training
Children’s Justice Initiative faculty provide on-demand training on ICWA-related topics. To request targeted, virtual ICWA training in your area, please contact the Children's Justice Initiative (CJI).