Author: Matthew L.M. Fletcher

SCOTUS Grants Oklahoma Petition to Consider Whether the State Can Prosecute Non-Indian – on – Indian Crime in Indian Country

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is today’s order.

The grant is limited to question 1 — here are the questions presented:

  1. Whether a State has authority to prosecute non- Indians who commit crimes against Indians in Indian country.
  2. Whether McGirt v. Oklahoma, 140 S. Ct. 2452 (2020), should be overruled.

Cert stage materials in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta:

Petition.pdfDownload
Oklahoma DAs Association Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Oklahoma Environmental Federation Amicus.PDFDownload
Texas Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Tulsa Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Castro-Huerta BIO.pdfDownload
Cherokee Nation Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Chickasaw and Choctaw Amicus.pdfDownload
MCN Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Oklahoma Cert Reply.pdfDownload

Lower court materials:

OCCA Opinion.pdfDownload
Castro-Huerta Brief on Reservation Disestablishment.pdfDownload
Cherokee Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
State Brief on Concurrent Jurisdiction.pdfDownload
Castro-Huerta Response Brief on Concurrent Jurisdiction.pdfDownload
Oklahoma District Court Opinion.pdfDownload

Montana Federal Court Allows Blackfeet Farmers to Sue US for Race Discrimination

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Wellman v. Orcutt (D. Mont.):

1 Complaint

5 Motion to Dismiss

6 Response

8 Reply

14 DCT Order

Photograph of a Blackfeet Indian’s Farm – Harvesting Field of Oats (National Archives)

Arizona Federal Judge Acquits Border Wall Protester after Assertion of Religious Freedom Restoration Act Defense [Tohono O’Odham Lands]

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in United States v. Ortega (D. Ariz.):

1 Complaint.pdfDownload
Quitobaquito Springs (NPS)
32 Motion in Limine to Preclude RFRA Defense.pdfDownload
46 Order re Motion in Limine.pdfDownload
51 Motion for Reconsideration.pdfDownload
55 Response.pdfDownload
57 MJ Order.pdfDownload

News coverage of the acquittal here.

Idaho Federal Court Dismisses Northwestern Shoshone Hunting Rights Claim

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation v. State of Idaho (D. Idaho):

1 Complaint.pdfDownload
7-1 Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
18 Response.pdfDownload
19 Reply.pdfDownload
21 DCT Order.pdfDownload

University of Washington Symposium on the Restatement of the Law of American Indians

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Just a reminder that early bird registration for the Symposium on the Restatement of the Law of American Indians closes on January 31. The program is packed with speakers and panelists from around the nation who participated in the development of the Restatement and will feature keynote presentations from Judge William Fletcher of the 9th Circuit and Justice Montoya Lewis from the Washington Supreme Court. Use the link below to register soon for the best rates.

Home – 34th Annual Indian Law Symposium: Restatement of the Law of American Indians (cvent.com)