This 3.5 day Judicial College course  will be held September 10 – 13, 2024 in Cherokee, NC with an estimated 15.5 class hours. The course focuses on the Indian Child Welfare Act, a federal law enacted in 1978 that applies to all abuse, neglect, dependency; termination of parental rights; and adoption actions. A small group of district court judges will have the opportunity to travel to Cherokee, North Carolina to learn about ICWA and Cherokee culture and how the tribe addresses child welfare cases for their children. dispositional orders that are entered in an abuse, neglect, or dependency action for respondent parents. Participants will observe a juvenile tribal court session and will visit landmark sites including the New Kituwah Academy and the Museum of the Cherokee People. The course starts with a working group dinner, provided by the North Carolina Judicial College. Participants should plan to be out of their offices for 4 days to accommodate their need to travel to and from Cherokee. The course is an elective for advanced child welfare certification. Attendance is limited to 20.

Participants are required to attend the course in its entirety. 

Course Location: This course will be held in-person at a hotel in Cherokee, North Carolina. Some sessions will require travel to various sites in Cherokee, NC. Participants will need to provide transportation for site visits within Cherokee. The longest drive time is 15 minutes from the hotel with a maximum travel time of 30 minutes a day. We encourage you to carpool with one another and will provide contact information for those interested in carpooling.

Who should apply: Priority will be given to judges who have juvenile court certification and who are seeking advanced child welfare certification. Judges must be presiding over abuse, neglect, dependency and termination of parental rights cases.

The application deadline is July 12. Applicants will be notified by July 17. There will be a wait list in the event an attendee can no longer participate fully in this course.