Turtle Talk

Here is the cert petition in Barrett v. U.S. (docket no. 09-32) — Barrett v. US Cert Petition

Questions presented:

1. Whether an Indian tribe can use Indians Claims Commission Act funds, appropriated by Congress and distributed to the tribe with a specific exemption from federal income tax, to pay federal income tax exempted salaries to elected officials the tribe is required to have under its tribal constitution.

2. Whether the imposition of a penalty by the Internal Revenue Service against the tribal chairman for sovereign legislative actions of the tribe improperly infringes on the tribe’s sovereign powers.

Lower court materials are available here.