Please call 817.7327 to schedule an appointment.
The Tribal Court is a court of general jurisdiction with authority to hear a wide range of criminal, civil, juvenile and probate matters. In recent years the Nation has moved away from being an adversarial system for resolving disputes to a problem-solving approach. The culturally-based Healing to Wellness Court program is available to Penobscot Nation tribal members who are involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the court system and who are struggling with alcohol and/or substance abuse. Through the voluntary program, individuals can be helped to overcome their addictions, be restored to wellness, and rejoin the Penobscot Nation community as healthy and contributing members.
Physical Address: 6 Down Street, Indian Island, Maine 04468
Mailing Address: 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian Island, Maine 04468-1254
Phone Number: (207) 827.3415
Fax Number: (207) 827.3430
Tribal Court Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Documents must be filed with the Court Clerk no later than 3:30 p.m
** Tribal Court now accepts payments by VISA, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express **
June Court Docket
Administrative Order:
Pursuant to the authority vested in the Court by Chapter 8 of the Penobscot Nation Laws and Ordinances effective September 27, 1979, which provides “[the Tribal Court] will set up their own criteria for operating business,” the Court hereby orders the Court operations under the exigent circumstances created by the COVID-19 Coronavirus and related pandemic precautions.
Penobscot Indian Nation Healing to Wellness Court
The mission of the Penobscot Nation Adult Healing to Wellness Court is to combine the judicial oversight and powers of the Court with local healing and wellness services, to better address any and all underlying or co-occurring substance or mental health issues of court-involved individuals.
Tribal Laws and Ordinances
At its Annual General Meeting on June 4, 2016, the Penobscot Nation adopted Penobscot Tribal Laws Chapter 30, the “Penobscot Nation Tribal Law and Court Opinions Publication Law” which mandated that all Penobscot Nation tribal laws be accessible to tribal members and to the public. By Tribal Council Resolution, on August 2, 2016, the Nation entered into a publication agreement with the non-profit law firm the Native American Rights Fund (“NARF”) to digitize and publish the Nation’s tribal laws and ordinances on the National Indian Law Library’s “Tribal Law Gateway.” A free searchable database of the Penobscot Nation tribal laws and ordinances can be accessed here: http://www.narf.org/nill/codes/penobscot/index.html
Tribal Court Judicial Decisions
At its Annual General Meeting on June 4, 2016, the Penobscot Nation adopted Penobscot Tribal Laws Chapter 30, the “Penobscot Nation Tribal Law and Court Opinions Publication Law” which authorized non-confidential Penobscot Nation Tribal Court and Court of Appeals decisions be made accessible to tribal members and to the public. By Tribal Council Resolution, on August 2, 2016, the Nation entered into a publication agreement with Lawriter, LLC, a company engaged in the business of providing electronic legal information services to state bar associations and certain other legal groups and organizations. Lawriter agreed to digitize and publish the Nation’s judicial decisions on the Casemaker©, an online legal research service.
Members of the Maine State Bar Association and other certain bar associations receive the benefit of free unlimited access to Casemaker. Penobscot Nation personnel receive free access to the service when researching Tribal Court-related matters.
The Penobscot Nation Court of Appeals judicial opinions are posted here: Appellate Court Decisions
Court Rules
In accordance with the decision of the September 27, 1979 General Meeting establishing the Tribal Court, “the Court shall set up its own criteria for operating business.” Effective September 15, 2016, by Order of Chief Judge Eric Mehnert, the fully revised Penobscot Nation Rules of Court were adopted.