ABSTRACT
Tribal Police Chief William Hickey is a former state trooper who once was the state's top gambling regulator. A civil tribunal, playfully dubbed the "slip-and-fall" court by tribal lawyers, has been operating for almost two years. Tribal leaders can perform wedding ceremonies if at least one of the betrothed is Mashantucket Pequot, and may someday be able to finalize divorces for tribal members. The creation of a legal system is the strongest way for an Indian tribe to assert its status as a self-governing nation, said Henry J. Sockbeson, the other tribal lawyer. In general, only crimes committed by Indians against Indians on the reservation are within the jurisdiction of the tribal police. Sockbeson said the busiest part of the legal system might be the Peacemakers Grievance Council, a place where tribal members can resolve disputes with their neighbors, and even family members.
