New federal rule could prevent litigation over Native children in state custody

Under new federal guidance, it will be easier for potential Alaska Native and Native American parents to adopt Native children in state custody.
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The 360-page rule issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wednesday aims to make interpretation of the Indian Child Welfare Act more consistent, regardless of the state, judge or social worker involved.
With the new BIA regulations, state courts across the country now must establish at the beginning whether the placement of a child is subj