Dennis G. Chappabitty

Accomplishments

 

∙           Consultant for Comanche Nation Constitutional Revision Project , beginning in January 2005until January 2009; facilitated and directed the efforts of a nine (9) member Commission authorized to conduct review of current Comanche Nation Constitution and to hold hearings to seek input from Nation Members.

 

∙           Panelist on Indian Civil Rights Act, Federal Bar Association Indian Law Conference, April 2008.

 

∙           Key note speaker at the “Bringing Civil Rights to Indian Country” and the Third Annual Border Town Racism Conference, September 2008.

 

∙           Presenter at Conference sponsored by Northwest Justice Project “A Difficult Challenge: Litigate Indian Civil Rights Cases and Divide the Community or Heal and Unify the Indian Community by Alternative Legal Advocacy?” September 2008.

 

∙           Special Counsel for the Tax Commission, Apache Tribe and Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma on oil and gas severence tax collection.

 

∙           Represented Indian Tribal governments in the areas of gaming contract negotiation and economic and business development project negotiations.

 

∙           Comanche Nation appointee to the Kiowa, Comanche & Apache Development Authority; Authority charged with the commercial development of 1200 acres of jointly held trust lands in Oklahoma; gained concentrated knowledge of business law in relation to issues surrounding tribal trust properties and long term leasing requirements.

 

∙           Staff Attorney for the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma; provided advice to the Tribal Business Committee on various legal matters; conducted research in laws relating to the operation and administration of tribal governments, Tribal land management, federal trust responsibility, federal and state policies, legislation and regulations.

 

∙           Judge of the Comanche Nation Children's Court, a Court of limited jurisdiction that handles cases of neglect, abuse, dependency and delinquency involving tribal children and youth.

 

∙         Developed the Comanche Foster Care Review Board, a judicial review system to monitor foster care placements by the Judge of the Comanche Children's Court; advised the Tribal Business Committee on court policy and implementation of tribal judicial policies; provided training to staff and Review Board in coordination with State Court Judges; served as the Judicial Planner for the Nation and developed tribal “law and order” code and child welfare code.

 

∙           Frequent guest speaker for 15 years on national public radio show "Native America Calling", speaking on topics dealing with tribal governance, tribal law & order, tribal disenrollments, federal termination policies of the 1950s and health & wellness among Native Men.

 

∙           Featured in article titled “Casino Cash and Tribal Discord” in February 2003 Edition of “Comstock’s Business” Magazine.

 

∙           Native American Family and Domestic Violence Conference held in Sacramento, CA; presentation on phenomenon of Tribal Disenrollment, August 2002.

 

∙           Several presentations at functions held by tribal organizations in Oklahoma and California to encourage the development of personal initiative, educational goal setting and interest of Native American youth in careers within the legal profession.

 

∙           Panelist on "Small Indian Business Legal Issues" at National Indian Business Association Annual Conference in Arlington, VA, April 1997.

 

∙           Appointed in October 1997 by the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribal Council as a member of the board for the Fox Peak Economic Development Corporation, which was established by the Tribe to promote the economic development, health, safety and general welfare of the people of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, Fallon, Nevada; also served as CEO/President of the Corporation for a year.

 

∙           Panelist on "Starting a New Business; The Legal, Insurance and Tax Issues" at the "RES' 93" Reservation Economic Summit and American Indian Business Trade Fair sponsored by The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development in Phoenix, AZ, June '93.

 

∙           Panelist on "Developing a Tribal Gaming Control Agency" at California-Nevada Indian Nevada Gaming Association, Annual Conference, '91, Reno, NV.