Federal court was held for the first time Tuesday at the Hopland Indian Reservation, according to an announcement from the Hopland Reservation Police Department, which is commissioned by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The police department on Tuesday announced an agreement between the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians and the U.S. Northern District Court to host federal court on the Hopland Indian Reservation for misdemeanor citations.

Federal Magistrate Judge Nandor J. Vadas will preside over bi-monthly hearings for misdemeanor citations issued by federally commissioned law enforcement agencies.

The agreement encompasses the federally commissioned law enforcement departments at the Hopland Reservation and at the Robinson Rancheria in Upper Lake, as well as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service.

Brett Rhodes, chief of police with the Hopland Reservation Police Department, called the agreement "unprecedented," and "a win-win for all involved," including those who are cited for misdemeanors on federal land.

Defendants, as well as officers of the federally commissioned agencies, previously had to travel to Eureka, San Francisco or Sacramento for misdemeanor hearings, where the closest federal district court divisions are located.

The chiefs of the two law enforcement departments in Mendocino County and neighboring Lake County approached Vadas about the idea earlier  this year, according to the announcement.

Rhodes said there were 37 cases on the docket Tuesday, and the new outpost is already seeing an increase in demand because of convenience.

"It's been a pleasure to have worked closely with Judge Vadas, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and all participating federal law enforcement agencies in developing this agreement, I look forward to assisting in its continued development and success here in the region," Rhodes said.

"This arrangement is not only of practical importance for the federal law enforcement officers working in the area, it is a clear recognition of the tribes' federally commissioned law enforcement agencies' efforts to build partnerships in order to improve upon the public safety services in Lake and Mendocino counties," said Chief David Mendoza of the Robinson Rancheria law enforcement agency.

He continued, "By allowing more efficient processing of the citations, the agreement will promote more effective enforcement of federal law on federal lands in Mendocino and Lake counties."