Chapter 31.10 ADMISSION AND REPRESENTATION IN TRIBAL COURT
(1) Right to Represent Oneself or Have a Representative as Counsel.
(A) Parties to any Tribal Court proceeding shall have the right to represent themselves without the assistance of counsel, unless the judge determines that such parties are not competent to proceed without a representative.
(B) Parties to any Tribal Court proceeding may employ a representative as counsel to help present their case.
(2) Who May Be a Representative.
(A) Any person licensed to practice law by any state within the Ninth Federal Circuit may be the representative of a party in any Tribal Court proceeding and may appear on behalf of such party upon (a) payment by each representative of an admission fee to the Clerk as provided in the Tribal Court Fee Schedule, before each case in which such representative appears before the Tribal Court; and (b) subscribing to the following oath: “I,______, do hereby swear/affirm that I will obey the laws of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and that I will conduct myself with honor and integrity towards those I represent and with respect before the Tribal Court.”
(B) Legal counsel for the Tribe or any Tribal instrumentality, agency or business is exempt from the fee requirement of this chapter.
(3) Representative’s Right to Appear. A representative may be denied the privilege of appearing before the Tribal Court, permanently or for a stated period of time, on any of the following grounds:
(A) Upon discovery that the representative knowingly misrepresented the law or facts in a Tribal Court proceeding; or
(B) Upon discovery of a disciplinary action taken by any Bar Association of any jurisdiction against the representative; or
(C) Upon discovery of any conviction in any court of any felony within five years of the representative’s appearance in any Tribal Court proceeding. [Res. 24-44, 2024.]