Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence in the State of Michigan
Michigan Legal Help has information about Domestic Violence and Personal Protection Orders.
WashingtonLawHelp.org provides a guide to military protection orders.
Domestic Violence and Criminal Jurisdiction on Tribal Lands
StrongHearts Native Helpline provides information about domestic violence specifically for Native Americans. They offer many services for survivors of abuse at no cost.
The Tribal Law and Policy Institute has information on VAWA and tribal criminal jurisdiction.
Uniting Three Fires Against Violence has additional resources available for Michigan Tribes.
WashingtonLawHelp provides more information on VAWA.
Protections afforded survivors of domestic violence under each of the 12 Tribal Jurisdictions in Michigan
*The files linked below do not fully comply with all applicable guidelines for accessible digital documents. For alternative formats, contact us at 231-947-0122 or probono@mils3.org.*
Bay Mills Indian Community
PPO Forms
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
PPO Forms: Current forms can be obtained through the court clerks office.
GTB is in the process of updating their DV code and hope the code will be updated soon.
Hannahville Potawatomi Indian Community
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
PPO Forms: Current forms can be obtained through the court clerks office.
The Tribe is in the process of updating their PPO code.
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
PPO Forms: Current forms can be obtained through the court clerks office.
The tribal court is in the process of updating their court rules and updated forms are forthcoming.
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
The Tribe is working on an update to their PPO code and the forms will be updated within the next year or so.
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians Gun Lake Tribe
PPO Forms: The Tribal Court will provide MILS with their updated forms in the near future.
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians
Brochure: The NHBP Tribal Court will be providing a copy of a brochure created by the Tribe.
PPO Forms: Can be obtained through the tribal court or their DV advocate.
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
PPO Forms: The Tribal Court will provide MILS with their updated forms in the near future.
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Contact MILS
If you need additional assistance, please contact MILS at 231-947-0122.
Starting August 1, 2023, MILS has an Equal Justice Works, Crime Victims Advocacy Program Fellow on staff for 2 years to work in the Tribal Court systems with victims of crime (with a focus on domestic violence).
Other Sources of Help
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
National Teen Dating Violence Hotline: 1-866-331-9474
StrongHearts Native Helpline is a 24/7 culturally appropriate, anonymous, and free service dedicated to serving Native Americans affected by domestic violence: 1-844-762-8483 (call or text) or strongheartshelpline.org (live chat).
Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (statewide and on-reservation)
CvLAP (statewide and on some reservations in the lower peninsula) (tribalsurvivorhelp@lsscm.org)
EVE (Lansing area)
Legal Aid and Defender (Detroit area)
Local legal aid offices (Call 888-783-8190 for the southern half of the state and visit LSNM to find the correct office to call for the northern half of the state)
For contact information for Indian Legal Services programs in other states, please visit the MILS NAILS page.
Firekeeper's Daughter Presentation
with Angeline Boulley & Special Legal Guests (Prof. Carlson, Hon. Fabry, Hon. Pope, & Jeff Davis)
Am I Being Abused?
This video from DomesticShelters.org makes it easier to identify abuse and abusers by explaining the types of abuse, patterns of behavior among abusers, common abuser traits, phrases abusers use, and other ways to identify when domestic violence is occurring.