"Tribal judges in Wisconsin say cooperation between state and tribal courts is improving rapidly. But some members of the state Supreme Court aren't happy with a new rule allowing the transfer of cases from state to tribal courts.

The new rule adopted two years ago has been amended once to make it easier to transfer thousands of child custody cases from Brown and Outgamie Counties to the Oneida tribal court. That process is still underway and Oneida Nation Chief Judge Winifred Thomas told the court this week the results are excellent.

“It works,” says Thomas. “Tribes call it peacemaking. Bring those children in and bring those parents in and we try very hard to make it a win-win situation even though the parents have agreed to disagree."

Thomas says moving these cases into tribal court is important because she believes tribal people often don't get a fair shake in circuit court."

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Supreme Court justice opposes transfer of cases to tribal courts (Wisconsin Public Radio 10/19)