Institute for Indian Estate Planning and Probate Created

The Institute for Indian Estate Planning and Probate was recently created jointly by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and the Institute for Indian Estate Planning and Probate. The mission of the institute, which is housed at the Seattle University School of Law, is to assist Indian people in making informed decisions about their property by establishing estate planning projects and providing information and training to tribal members, government officials and the legal community.

"The formation of the Institute and the services it will provide throughout Indian country will be a major step forward for Indian people in controlling their most important of assets: their land," said Chris Stainbrook, president of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. "Additionally, the provision of direct legal services to Indian landowners and their heirs through the DOI Estate Planning Pilot Project will allow for the consolidation of the small, undivided land ownership interests that many Indian people hold. The combination of the two is quite exciting."

The Institute will oversee three Indian estate planning programs previously funded by the foundation and other entities. The newest is a recently awarded $500,000 contract from the Department of the Interior to conduct a pilot project that will provide estate planning and will writing services to tribal members in the Pacific Coast and Great Plains regions.

For more information, visit the Institute for Indian Estate Planning and Probate or the Indian Land Tenure Foundation Web site.

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