Federal Court Again Dismisses Challenge to Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Court Jurisdiction

Here are the materials in Acres v. Blue Lake Rancheria (N.D. Cal.):

39-blue-lake-motion

41-opposition

48-dct-minute-order

50-dct-order-written

An excerpt:

Plaintiff James Acres seeks declaratory and injunctive relief against the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe (“Tribe”), the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Court (“Tribal Court”) and its Chief Judge, Lester Marston, alleging that the Tribal Court has conducted itself in bad faith in asserting jurisdiction over him in an underlying contractual fraud case because Judge Marston refused to recuse himself from the case and misrepresented his relationship with the Tribe. Judge Marston has now recused himself from the Tribal Court case and appointed the Hon. James Lambden, a retired California Court of Appeal Justice with no prior connection to the Tribe, to preside over the matter. Given Judge Marston’s recusal and the appointment of a neutral judge, there is insufficient evidence of bad faith for the exception to apply. Acres does not meet any of the exceptions to the exhaustion requirement. He must exhaust his tribal remedies before bringing an action of this kind in federal court. The Tribe’s motion to dismiss is GRANTED.

Federal Court Orders Indian Lessee & Attorney to Return Royalty Overpayment

Here are the materials in Enerplus Resources (USA) Corporation v. Wilkinson (D. N.D.):

62-enerplus-motion-for-summary-j

70-response

73-reply

75-dct-order

Materials in the pending Eighth Circuit portion of this case are here.

Federal Court Dismisses Pro Se Wrongful Termination Claim against White Earth Ojibwe

Here are the materials in Harper v. White Earth Human Resources (D. Minn.):

9-motion-to-dismiss

26-magistrate-report

28-dct-order

Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin Has Walked On

Here.

You might recall the former Congressman’s  stand against the Washington Football Team.

Stephen Pevar: “In South Dakota, Officials Defied a Federal Judge and Took Indian Kids Away From Their Parents in Rigged Proceedings”

Here, from ACLU’s Speak Freely blog.

Tenth Circuit Holds Wind River Reservation Diminished

Here is the 2-1 opinion in State of Wyoming v. EPA:

CA10 Opinion

Briefs here.

Sun v. Mashantucket Pequot Cert Petition

Here:

sun-cert-petition

Question presented:

If the District Court refuses Plaintiffs’ Motion to Reopen its case based squarely upon whether the case has no chance of succeeding on its merits, is it a violation of Plaintiffs’ Due Process rights for the District Court to ignore new precedent repeatedly brought to its attention that would allow Plaintiffs to succeed on the merits?

Lower court materials here.

NIGC Not Held in Contempt for Refusal to Reconsider Decision on Fort Sill Apache New Mexico Casino

Here are the materials in Fort Sill Apache Tribe v. National Indian Gaming Commission (D.D.C.):

60 Stipulated Order

67 Fort Sill Motion to Enforce

67-1 NIGC Letter

68 Opposition

69 Reply

70 DCT Order on Motion to Enforce

We posted the complaint here.

Federal Court Dismisses Employment Claims against Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe

Here are the materials in Bruguire v. Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (W.D. Wis.):

14 Motion to Dismiss

15 Opposition

16 Reply

22 DCT Order