State of Alaska; Patrick S. Galvin

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the superior court’s declaratory judgment and injunction, holding that the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes has inherent, non‑territorial subject‑matter jurisdiction over child‑support obligations for tribal children and that the State must recognize and enforce tribal child‑support orders under UIFSA. The Court also held that this jurisdiction extends to non‑member parents because it is tied to the child’s membership, and rejected the applicability of Montana.