Article 1.
Full Faith and Credit.
§ 1E-1. Full faith and credit.
(a) The courts of this State shall give full faith and credit to a judgment, decree, or order signed by a judicial officer of either (i) the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians or (ii) Catawba Indian Nation and filed in the Cherokee Tribal Courts or Catawba Nation Tribal Courts to the same extent as is given a judgment, decree, or order of another state, subject to the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section; provided that the judgments, decrees, and orders of the courts of this State are given full faith and credit by the Tribal Courts of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Tribal Courts of the Catawba Indian Nation.
(b) Judgments, decrees, and orders specified in subsection (a) of this section shall be given full faith and credit subject to the provisions of G.S. 1C-1705 and G.S. 1C-1708 and shall be considered a foreign judgment for purposes of these statutes.
(c) Any limited driving privilege signed and issued by a Judge or Justice of either the Cherokee Tribal Courts or Catawba Nation Tribal Courts in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes and filed in the Cherokee Tribal Courts Clerk's Office or Catawba Nation Tribal Courts Clerk's Office shall be valid and given full faith and credit as specified in subsection (a) of this section. For purposes of this subsection, any reference to the issuing "judge" or "court" in the applicable provisions of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes shall be construed to mean the appropriate Judge or Justice in the Cherokee Tribal Courts, Catawba Nation Tribal Courts, or the appropriate Cherokee or Catawba Tribal Court. (2001-456, s. 1; 2015-287, s. 1; 2025-57, s. 1.)
§ 1E-2. County services.
A county is not compelled to provide services on lands held in trust by the United States for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, except for public health or human services traditionally provided by county agencies and not otherwise assumed by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, unless there is an agreement between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the county describing each party's responsibilities. The agreement must be approved and signed by the Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on behalf of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and must be signed by the county manager or delegated department head. The agreement may be effective for a definite period of time or an indefinite period of time, as specified in the agreement. (2015-262, s. 1(b); 2016-123, s. 2.4(a).)
§ 1E-3: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-4: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-5: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-6: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-7: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-8: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-9: Reserved for future codification purposes.
Article 2.
Tribal Law Enforcement Authority.
§ 1E-10. Tribal law enforcement.
(a) Except for the sections listed in subsection (b) of this section, Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is applicable to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Catawba Indian Nation.
(b) The following provisions of Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes shall not apply to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Catawba Indian Nation:
(1) G.S. 160A-283.
(2) G.S. 160A-286.
(3) G.S. 160A-287.
(4) G.S. 160A-289.1. (2015-287, s. 1; 2025-57, s. 1.)
§ 1E-11. Application and meaning of terms.
For purposes of the application of the applicable provisions of Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes, the following terms contained in Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes shall be construed as follows:
(1) City. - To mean the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Catawba Indian Nation.
(2) Council or governing body. - To mean the Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Executive Committee of the Catawba Indian Nation.
(3) City clerk. - To mean the clerk of the Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians or of the Executive Committee of the Catawba Indian Nation.
(4) Corporate limits of the city. - To mean the boundaries of the trust lands of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians or of the Catawba Indian Nation wherever located within the State of North Carolina.
(5) Law enforcement agency or local law enforcement agency. - To include the Cherokee Police Department, the Cherokee Marshals Service, the Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Natural Resources Enforcement Agency of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department, and the Catawba Indian Nation Marshals Service. (2015-287, s. 1; 2025-57, s. 1.)
§ 1E-12. Qualification of law enforcement officers; limitations of authority.
(a) For purposes of this section, "law enforcement officer" means any person appointed or employed as (i) Chief of Police of the Cherokee Police Department, Chief of the Cherokee Marshals Service, Chief of the Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, or Chief of the Natural Resources Enforcement Agency of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, (ii) a police officer, auxiliary police officer, marshal, alcohol law enforcement agent, reserve alcohol law enforcement agent, or resources officer with the Cherokee Police Department, the Cherokee Marshals Service, the Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, or the Natural Resources Enforcement Agency of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, (iii) the Chief of the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department, or (iv) a police officer, marshal, auxiliary police, or resources officer with the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department or Catawba Indian Nation Marshals Service.
(b) A law enforcement officer shall, prior to the exercise of the officer's authority pursuant to Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes, comply with the provisions of Article 1 of Chapter 17C of the General Statutes and any rules or regulations adopted pursuant to the authority of Article 1 of Chapter 17C of the General Statutes. The courts of this State shall have the jurisdiction pursuant to G.S. 17C-11 to enjoin the Cherokee Police Department, the Cherokee Marshals Service, the Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Natural Resources Enforcement Agency of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department, Marshals of the Catawba Indian Nation, or any law enforcement officer or agent employed or appointed by the department, agency, or division from exercising any or all of the authority under color of State law conferred by Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes if any law enforcement officer or agent of the department, agency, or division fails to meet the required standards established pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 17C of the General Statutes.
(c) The jurisdiction of a Cherokee law enforcement officer shall be (i) on all property owned by or leased to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians located within the trust lands of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and (ii) during the immediate and continuous flight of an offender in accordance with G.S. 15A-402(d). The jurisdiction of a Catawba law enforcement officer shall be (i) on all property owned by or leased to the Catawba Indian Nation located within the trust lands of the Catawba Indian Nation and (ii) during the immediate and continuous flight of an offender in accordance with G.S. 15A-402(d). Neither Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians nor Catawba Indian Nation law enforcement officers shall have jurisdiction on the other's land absent separate agreement of the tribes.
(d) Service as a law enforcement officer shall constitute service as (i) a "criminal justice officer" as defined in G.S. 17C-2(c) and (ii) a "law enforcement officer" for purposes of Article 12E of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes. For purposes of Article 12E of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, the term "employer," as defined in G.S. 143-166.50, shall be construed to include the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Catawba Indian Nation with respect to law enforcement officers.
(e) A law enforcement officer may be enjoined from exercising his authority under color of State law pursuant to Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes for the reasons set forth in G.S. 128-16 and pursuant to the provisions of Article 2 of Chapter 128 of the General Statutes.
(f) Nothing contained in this Chapter or in Article 13 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes shall be construed as doing any of the following:
(1) Limiting or revoking the authority of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee Police Department, the Cherokee Marshals Service, the Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Natural Resources Enforcement Agency of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, or any law enforcement officers or other persons appointed or employed by those entities, in the exercise of their inherent powers of self-government, or exercise of authority conferred by federal law, regulation, or common law.
(1a) Limiting or revoking the authority of the Catawba Indian Nation, the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department, Catawba Indian Nation Marshals Service, or a police officer, auxiliary police, or resources officer with the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department or any of the Catawba Nation Tribal Police Department, or any law enforcement officers or other persons appointed or employed by those entities, in the exercise of their inherent powers of self-government, or exercise of authority conferred by federal law, regulation, or common law.
(2) Modifying, either by way of enlargement or limitation, the jurisdiction of the Cherokee Tribal Courts.
(3) Waiving any sovereign immunity that may otherwise apply.
(g) Nothing contained in this Chapter shall be construed as modifying, either by way of enlargement or limitation, the jurisdiction or authority of any federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, governmental entity, or any of their officers or employees, except the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Catawba Indian Nation, the Cherokee Police Department, the Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Police Department, the Cherokee Marshals Service, the Marshals of the Catawba Indian Nation, the Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Natural Resources Enforcement Agency of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, and their law enforcement officers, agents, and employees to the extent set forth in this Chapter. (2015-287, s. 1; 2025-57, s. 1.)
§ 1E-13: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-14: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-15: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-16: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-17: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-18: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 1E-19: Reserved for future codification purposes.
Article 3.
Probation and Parole.
§ 1E-20. Cherokee and Catawba Marshals Services.
(a) The Supreme Court of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is authorized to establish a probation and parole agency known as the "Cherokee Marshals Service."
(b) Marshals of the Cherokee Marshals Service shall (i) be required to meet the standards set forth in G.S. 1E-12 for law enforcement officers and (ii) have the same territorial jurisdiction, powers, and immunities as a law enforcement officer under G.S. 1E-12.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, marshals of the Cherokee Marshals Service shall have access to all probation and parole records of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to the same extent as a probation or post-release supervision officer of the Department for any person over which the Cherokee Tribal Courts have jurisdiction to proceed in a criminal case and impose a sentence, including a fine, community service, or imprisonment. The Department may enter into a memorandum of understanding addressing the specifics of transferring information to the Cherokee Tribal Courts.
(d) The Catawba Indian Nation is authorized to establish a probation and parole agency.
(e) Marshals of the Catawba Indian Nation shall (i) be required to meet the standards set forth in G.S. 1E-12 for law enforcement officers and (ii) have the same territorial jurisdiction, powers, and immunities as a law enforcement officer under G.S. 1E-12.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Marshals of the Catawba Indian Nation shall have access to all probation and parole records of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to the same extent as a probation or post-release supervision officer of the Department for any person with the Catawba Nation Tribal Courts have jurisdiction to proceed in a criminal case and impose a sentence, including a fine, community service, or imprisonment. The Department may enter into a memorandum of understanding addressing the specifics of transferring information to the Catawba Nation Tribal Courts. (2015-287, s. 1; 2025-57, s. 1.)