Northern Cheyenne Law Reader — Constitution, Bylaws and 2025 Code

Compiled public learning edition — October 17, 2026 | Truth in Focus Records Room
By Steven Bullcoming Haworth

This free reading guide brings together the Northern Cheyenne Constitution and Bylaws and the Northern Cheyenne Law and Order Code in one place. It is for readers who want to understand the general structure, find the right article or title, and read the original text. It does not replace tribal law, later valid amendments, court decisions, or legal advice.

Read the original laws first

1. Constitution and Bylaws: Open the amended Constitution and Bylaws — 17-page PDF reader. Archived by the National Indian Law Library; includes 1935 text with amendments through 1996 as identified in the document.
2. Law and Order Code: Open the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s revised 2025 Law and Order Code — 235-page PDF reader. The linked PDF states: adopted June 2, 2025; effective October 1, 2025.
3. Other judicial documents: Open the Tribe’s judicial document index for the separately posted Probate Code, court forms, schedules and other materials.

Reader tip: On most devices, these PDF links open in the browser’s built-in reader. Use its search and page controls. If a link or PDF is inaccessible, use the source site’s document list.

Part 1 — Constitution: the 11 articles

1. Article I — Territory: Describes the reservation territory and its historical boundaries.
2. Article II — Membership: Sets out tribal membership rules and related authority. Membership determinations require the complete governing text and applicable rules.
3. Article III — Governing body and officers: Sets the Tribal Council’s composition, districts and named offices.
4. Article IV — Powers of the Tribal Council: Addresses government powers and limits, including use of tribal funds, land and laws. Section 1(f) addresses authorized expenditures and public records of amounts spent.
5. Article V — Bill of Rights: Describes certain rights of tribal members.
6. Article VI — Elections: Describes voting, elections and election ordinances. Section 2 provides for elections to be conducted under ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Tribal Council, subject to the Constitution and Bylaws. Section 4 includes rules governing the district Council seats.
7. Article VII — Removal and vacancies: Describes several different paths involving forfeiture, removal, complaints and vacant offices. Section 2 provides for a two-thirds Council vote after a fair opportunity to be heard for removal on its stated grounds.
8. Article VIII — Referendum: Describes voter petitions and conditions for a binding referendum.
9. Article IX — Land: Addresses allotments, tribal lands, leasing and assignments.
10. Article X — Amendments: Describes constitutional amendment procedures; these differ from an ordinary Council resolution.
11. Article XI — Separation of powers: Distinguishes legislative, executive and judicial functions.

Part 2 — Bylaws: the seven articles

1. Article I: Duties of officers.
2. Article II: Qualifications.
3. Article III: Certification of elections and oath of office.
4. Article IV: Salaries.
5. Article V: Meetings and procedure, including quorum rules.
6. Article VI: Adoption of the Constitution and Bylaws.
7. Article VII: Code of ethics for officials.

Read our existing plain-language Constitution and Bylaws guide for more explanation. Always compare a summary with the controlling words in the original source.

Part 3 — Law and Order Code: titles included in the 2025 PDF

• Title I — General Provisions: Authority, definitions, sovereignty, rights and interpretation; §1.1.3 requires the Code and its amendments to be available for public inspection with online access.
• Title II — Northern Cheyenne Judicial Branch: The trial, appellate and constitutional courts, the court clerk and judicial procedures.
• Title III — Juvenile Code: Proceedings and protections involving children and families.
• Title IV — Civil Procedure and Civil Code: Rules governing civil actions and related rights.
• Title V — Rules of Criminal Procedure: Process for criminal proceedings.
• Title VI — Rules of Evidence: Evidence in proceedings, including provisions addressing Northern Cheyenne custom and tradition.
• Title VII — Criminal Offenses: Offense definitions, general rules, and government-related offenses. Section 7.9.2 concerns interfering with tribal elections; it specifies prohibited actions and conditions. Read that full section rather than relying on someone else’s summary.
• Title VIII — Domestic Relations: Marriage, separation and related family-law matters.
• Title X — Judicial Conduct: Judicial ethics, independence, impartiality and conduct.

For more detail, use our plain-language Law and Order Code overview and the original 235-page PDF.

What is not fully assembled in this reader

• Title IX / probate: Title IX is not part of the linked 235-page consolidated PDF. A separate Probate Code is listed on the Tribe’s judicial documents page. Its relation to later amendments and the current complete consolidated code needs confirmation.
• Title XI / property and landlord-tenant: We have not verified a complete up-to-date consolidated source for this title.
• Election Ordinance: The Constitution refers to election ordinances and resolutions, but this educational guide is not an authenticated current edition of every election rule.
• Later amendments and cases: The precise current law can depend on amendments, ordinances, and controlling court decisions not yet compiled or checked here.

How to check a legal claim

1. Ask for the exact article, title and section number.
2. Read the original language before relying on an interpretation.
3. Check dates and whether later amendments or court decisions apply.
4. Keep factual statements, allegations, disputed interpretations, and verified judicial findings clearly separate.

DOI, Council, hearing and government records

Research and verification are underway. The DOI resolutions, hearing files, council proceedings and dispute-related records are not part of this public learning edition. See their publication status here.

Source and correction standard: This is an independent, educational overview, not the Tribe’s official legal interpretation and not a finding about any current political or legal dispute. The original sources are linked above. Documented corrections are welcome via Truth in Focus.