The Ojibwe Culture Based Mediation Court was made possible with a federal implementation grant from the Department of Justice.  The Mediation Court will serve all four communities on the reservation in hopes of resolving old and new disputes or conflicts that negatively affect our reservation.

The communities that make up our reservation are Littlerock, Red Lake, Redby and Ponemah.   The Mediation Court hopes to address all issues that are prevalent and a big concern in each individual community.  At the same time dealing with issues that cause conflict and emotional harm and strain on individual families.

The Ojibwe Culture Based Mediation Court allows us to deviate from the adversarial system commonly used in all court systems today.  The adversarial system commonly produces one winner and one loser.  This system in itself creates conflict for many people.

The Mediation court will use traditional and alternate ways to resolve disputes and conflicts among our people.  The adversarial system is widely used and has been for years and years.  The traditional model incorporates fair and peaceful resolutions with the participation of all parties within the conflict.  Everyone participates in the resolution.   

In the traditional model that the Ojibwe Culture Based Mediation Court uses, that same person that is protected by the adversarial system is required to speak and his/her statement of the events are not held against him/her.  This encourages and promotes healing for both parties as they all have input into the resolution that the parties come to agreement on.  Accountability is very important.  Both parties are not required, but encouraged and welcome to use traditional means such as the sweat lodge, talking circles, offering of tobacco, burning of sage to help cleanse your mind and thoughts of negativity.  

The Ojibwe Culture Based Mediation Court is made up of thirteen mediators and a chief mediator.  All the mediators have received training in mediation techniques, as well as traditional teachings. 

The Mediation Court is taking referrals from the community and the Tribal Court systems.  More information about this can be read if you click on the Referral process  tab.

These are just some off the examples of the cases that can be referred.  For more information go to the Contact tab to learn how to get ahold of any of the mediators by email and where the Mediation court office is located.