Michigan Indian Legal Service

MILS was created to provide legal services to low income Indian individuals and tribes to further sustainable economic development and self-government, protection of tribal cultures and religious freedoms, overcome discrimination, and preserve Indian families. MILS offices were initially housed in a small cinder block building on Garfield Road, only a few miles south of the present location.

MILS will provide legal assistance to individuals and organizations on matters which will assist in the prevention of the breakup of Native American families or in other matters where MILS representation would serve the underlying purposes of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and the Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA) using the ICWA.

The manual provides an overview of federal housing laws, including the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA), and the housing laws and policies of each of the 12 federally acknowledged tribes in Michigan. In addition, MILS has created brochures aimed at tribal housing tenants and court forms that tenants can use in tribal court eviction proceedings.

MILS attorneys will provide civil representation to members of federally acknowledged/ recognized tribes in tribal court if court appointed counsel is not available to the client. After taking into account program resources MILS staff will provide assistance in the following matters; juvenile delinquency, banishment, civil infractions (fishing violations, etc), evictions, garnishment, abuse and neglect and related child welfare matters.

MILS is a statewide non-profit that provides free legal services to American Indian families, tribes and organizations and has served thousands of clients since its incorporation in 1975. MILS's service area includes 12 separate tribal court systems, some of which do not provide court appointed attorneys to criminal defendants.