Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Inc.

Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Inc. (OILS) is a non-profit organization that provides legal services to low-income members of all 39 tribes located in the state of Oklahoma. According to the information provided, all of OILS' attorneys are active members of the bar in 26 tribal courts throughout the state.

Through federal grant sub-awards from the Montana Legal Services Association, OILS provides direct legal representation to tribal individuals facing criminal charges in 26 tribal courts across Oklahoma, primarily those resulting from substance abuse or addiction. Their services include client intake, interviews, legal research, advice on case merits, witness interviews, discovery review, plea negotiations, representation in hearings and trials, post-conviction relief advice, and legal pleadings and motions. OILS also works closely with the Comanche Nation Tribal Court as a public defender support and in code development and implementation. After the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, OILS began accepting applications from non-incarcerated Indian criminal defendants charged in state courts within the Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw, and Cherokee reservations, providing advice on jurisdictional issues and potential dismissals. Additionally, OILS attorneys participate in discussions with tribal courts on staffing prosecutors and public defenders and provide educational presentations on the McGirt decision. OILS also offers expungement services to tribal members with criminal convictions to improve employment, housing, and custody opportunities. Through another grant sub-award, OILS represents tribal members in family law matters, housing issues, individual rights cases, wills and probate issues, and tribal sovereignty cases, including adoptions, guardianships, and Indian Child Welfare Act cases in tribal courts. OILS assists with birth certificate changes for tribal enrollment and acts as Guardian ad Litem for children in tribal custody cases.