Children's Justice Initiative (CJI)

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 Resources 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

National Center for State Courts Webinar: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Courts: What We Know and What We Can Learn From Them

ICWA Training & Resources

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.

ICWA/MIFPA Practice Resources

Written practice resources providing guidance on ICWA and MIFPA implementation are available in the Juvenile Protection Toolbox under the Resources 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).

State-Tribal Partnership Grant for ICWA Best Practices

In 2023, the Minnesota Judicial Branch received a federal State-Tribal Partnership grant to support implementation of ICWA Best Practices, from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The work under this grant is directed by the CJI State-Tribal Partnership Committee.

The State-Tribal Partnership grant is intended to:

• promote statewide understanding of and compliance with both the “letter of the law” and the “spirit of the law” of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA), and
• improve outcomes for American Indian children, families, and tribes involved in the state child welfare system so children are protected, families and tribes are preserved, and children remain connected to their families, communities, and culture.

To further these goals, the grant will support establishment of at least two new ICWA Courts, as well as documenting best practices for ICWA Courts and building a support structure to empower continuous quality improvement of ICWA Courts in Minnesota. Contact the State-Tribal Partnership Team with questions about the State-Tribal Partnership Committee and projects.

The CJI State-Tribal Partnership Grant for Best Practices in American Indian Child Welfare is a joint project of the Minnesota Judicial Branch, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota Department of Human Services, and Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. This work is being supported by award no. 90CW1153-01-00 from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this webpage are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACF, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

Hon. Robert Blaeser Indian Child Welfare Excellence Award

The Hon. Robert Blaeser Indian Child Welfare Excellence Award is presented annually by the Children’s Justice Initiative (CJI) to an individual or group who during preceding 12 months demonstrated excellence in Indian child welfare advocacy by:

• Making a significant contribution toward achieving full compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA); and/or
• Improving the well-being of American Indian children and families who experience the child welfare system.

Overview of Award and Nomination Criteria

2024 awardees Judy Nord and Judge Korey Wahwassuck with Retired Judge Robert Blaeser and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Anne McKeig