It is the intention of the Court that these rules will govern any action that may be filed for the purpose of resolving ongoing disputes or concerns. There may be actions that arise which are not directly addressed in the existing written laws of the Tribe. The Court is not by the establishment of these rules precluding the ability of the Court to proceed in a fashion consistent with the development of common law, and hereby recognizes the existence of Yurok common law as applicable to dispute resolution. The Court may also, at the request of parties or on the motion of the Court, set up a resolution process that is not specifically described in these rules so long as that process is agreed to by the parties and is not inconsistent with Yurok principles of dispute resolution.

In the absence of a governing rule the Chief Judge may establish rules consistent with the governing principles set out above. The Chief Judge may delegate the creation of scheduling to the Hearing Court or may upon the motion of a party or the Court’s own motion establish rules necessary for the operation of the Courts of the Tribe.

The Court, at the request of all parties involved, may accept a matter for the sole purpose of finalizing/formalizing an agreement between the parties. If the Court makes an order following such an agreement, the order/decision will specify how disputes as to enforcement of the order/decision are to be resolved. The Court is aware that the Yurok people have a history of dispute resolution that did not necessarily involve a judicial officer and is offering this service as a supporting function for the purposes of establishing a record of the agreement should the parties seek such a record. [Ord. 81, amended, 1/6/2023; Ord. 63, amended, 12/6/2019; Rule mod. dated 8/2018 dated 8/2018; Ord. 48 § 1.1, amended, 1/6/2017; Ord. 26, amended, 4/1/2012; Ord. 19, amended, 10/22/2008.]