An excerpt:
The lawyers representing a class of Native American farmers and ranchers say they are confident the claims process that is part of a $760 million settlement will not have the same problems that plagued a similar suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In the earlier suit, where a class of African American farmers sued the government over alleged discrimination in federal lending programs, thousands of plaintiffs missed out on compensation because claims were submitted after deadline. The Obama administration is seeking congressional approval for $1.15 billion to compensate black farmers who were excluded from the settlement in a case called Pigford I.
Last week, Judge Emmet Sullivan of Washington’s federal trial court asked the attorneys in the Native American farmer discrimination case Keepseagle v. Vilsack to address how the proposed settlement avoids the Pigford issues.
On Monday, Justice attorneys and the lawyers for the plaintiffs filed a joint submission to try to alleviate Sullivan’s concerns. Click here for a copy.
Turtle Talk 