To practice and appear in the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Courts, you must first become a member of the Sicangu Oyate Bar Association. To become a SOBA member you must first complete an application for membership. You can download the application by clicking the link above. Submit your completed application to the SOBA Secretary/Treasurer along with any required attachments and fees. Please note that the application requires the applicant to sit for the annual bar exam which is usually given in September each year.
Bar Exam Fee: The current bar exam fee is $100. This fee must accompany all applications for membership along with the New Applicant Dues set out below.
New Applicant Dues: In addition to the bar exam fee, membership dues for the current year should be paid as follows: If you wish to be an active member, your check should include an additional $100 for the annual active member bar dues. If you would rather be an inactive member, your check should include an additional $50 for the annual inactive member dues.
Bar Exam: The bar exam is usually given the second Thursday and Friday of September each year. The process begins with bar review courses on Thursday for applicants who choose to participate. (We encourage you to attend.) The exam questions are handed out after the bar review courses conclude on Thursday. For now, this is a take-home exam. Answers to the exam questions are due at Dakota Plains Legal Services by noon (CDT) on Friday.
Annual Dues/Class Membership: There are various classes of SOBA members. Only Honorary Members do not have to pay annual dues. All other members must pay annual dues to maintain their membership in the Sicangu Oyate Bar Association. Membership dues are due on January 1st of each year. SOBA does not prorate membership dues for any portion of the year for any reason.
Honorary Members: Honorary members are Judges, Appellate Justices, Prosecutors, Public Defenders & Staff from the RST Attorney General’s office.
Inactive Members: If you do not expect to have any cases in either of the Rosebud Sioux tribal courts, you may want to become an inactive member. Inactive membership dues are currently $50 per calendar year.
Active Members: If you will have cases in either of the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Courts, you must be an active member. Active member dues are currently $100 per calendar year.
Special Members: Only attorneys & advocates that are employed by non-profit agencies providing legal services to indigent people are considered special members. Dues for Special Members are currently $25 per calendar year.
Law Students: Law Student dues are $50 per calendar year.
One Time Appearances: SOBA also allows a One Time Appearance for attorneys or advocates who will have one case only in the Rosebud Sioux tribal courts. To obtain permission to appear in that one case, you must pay a $100 fee and associate with an active SOBA member. The SOBA member that you are associating with must appear with you at all stages of your case. You will not be required to take the bar exam.
SOBA Application
For additional information, please contact the SOBA Secretary/Treasurer
