Key Points about Serving Papers on Tribal Lands

Native Americans lived and thrived in North America long before European explorers discovered “The New World,” but nonetheless, their lives were forever changed as the 13 colonies were founded and American colonists competed for land and resources with long-established tribes. The 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries witnessed extreme conflicts between the emerging American population and the Native American tribes. Unfortunately, more often than not, most tribes eventually had no choice but to conform to the U.S government, concede their tribal lands, and live on strange reservations in near-poverty.

Despite the checkered past between the American government and Native Americans, Indian reservations have managed to achieve a stronger balance of autonomy over the last 30 years. A major component of this independence revolves around the fact that Native American reservations are sovereign entities that are not part of the federal or state government. Reservations now have tribal police and tribal courts whose jurisdiction precludes any state government authority.

All of this makes process of service rather difficult on Indian reservations. Some process server companies don’t attempt service on tribal lands at all, while other companies approach the task with uncertainty and trepidation. However, it doesn’t have to be so difficult. Since different reservations have different service of process systems, much of the information has now been published online, and the Native American Consultation Database provides contact information for the clerks of various tribal courts.

As long as a process server acknowledges and respects Native tribes as their own independent entities and is agreeable to work with tribal police and courts to serve papers as required by their own rules, service of process doesn’t have to be tricky. Accurate Serve of Sarasota, Florida, for instance, offers efficient and professional service of process all around Florida and the country. The experts at Accurate Serve are well-informed and able to undertake any unusual or detail-oriented service challenge. Give them a call today at (941) 893-9991 to obtain their help for your specific legal situation.