Supreme Court Petition Involving NAGPRA, Rule 19, and Tribal Immunity

Here is the petition in White v. Regents of the University of California:

White Cert Petition

Questions presented:

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), which governs repatriation of human remains to Native American tribes, contains an enforcement provision that states, “The United States district courts shall have jurisdiction over any action brought by any person alleging a violation of this chapter and shall have the authority to issue such orders as may be necessary to enforce the provisions of this chapter.” 25 U.S.C. § 3013. Over a strong dissent, a divided Ninth Circuit panel held that a party can prevent judicial review of controversial repatriation decisions by claiming a tribe is a “required party” under Rule 19 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, if the tribe invokes tribal immunity. The questions presented are:
1. Whether Rule 19 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure mandates that a district court dismiss any case in which a Native American tribe with immunity is deemed to be a “required party.”
2. Whether tribal immunity extends to cases where Rule 19 is the only basis for adding a tribe, no relief against the tribe is sought, and no other forum can issue a binding order on the dispute; and if so, whether Congress abrogated tribal immunity as a defense to claims arising under NAGPRA.
Lower court materials here.

Federal Court Dismisses Suit against Tribal Lending Entity Owned by Tunica-Biloxi Tribe

Here are the materials in Everette v. Mitchum (D. Md.):

21 MobiLoans Motion to Dismiss

22-1 Riverbend Finance Motion to Dismiss

30-1 Mitchem Motion to Dismiss

40 Response to MobiLoans

41 Response to 3052 Mitchem Reply

53 Riverbend Finance Reply

57 MobiLoans Reply

59-1 Scott Tucker Motion to Dismiss

60 Response to 59

62 Everette v. Mitchem (D.MD) Memorandum Order

Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin v. United States Materials

Here are the materials in Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin v. United States.

Supreme Court Merits Briefs

Menominee Tribe Brief

NCAI Amicus Brief

US Brief

Menominee Reply

Cert Stage Briefs

Cert Petition

US Brief

D.C. Circuit Materials

DC Circuit Opinion

Menominee Opening Brief 2013

IHS Brief

Menominee Reply Brief

District Court Materials

DCT Order Dismissing Menominee Claims

IHS Motion to Dismiss

Menominee Motion for Summary J

Earlier D.C. Circuit Materials

DC Circuit Opinion 2010

 

Florida COA Materials in MMMG LLC v. Seminole Tribe of Florida

Here:

MMMG Opening Brief

Seminole Answer Brief

MMMG Reply

Ninth Circuit Briefs in Takeda Pharmaceuticals America v. Connelly

Here:

Takeda Opening Brief

Connelly Answer Brief

Takeda Reply Brief

Lower court materials here.

Nebraska v. Parker Background Materials

Here are the materials we’ve collected on Nebraska v. Parker.

Supreme Court Merits Briefs

Nebraska Opening Brief

Omaha Tribal Council Brief

US Brief

Merits Stage Amicus Briefs

Village of Hobart Amicus Brief

NCAI Amicus Brief

Scholars Brief

Cert Stage Briefs

State of Nebraska v Parker cert petition

United States Cert Opp Brief

Eighth Circuit Materials

CA8 Opinion

Nebraska Opening Brief

Tribe Brief

US Brief

Nebraska Reply Brief

District Court Materials

The 2nd amended complaint is here: Complaint

The tribal motion to dismiss is here: Motion to Dismiss

The opposition is here: Opposition to Motion to Dismiss

The reply is here: Reply Brief

The court’s stay order and opinion is here: DCT Order Denying Motion to Dismiss

DCT Order Granting Nebraska Motion to Intervene

Nebraska Motion to Intervene

Opposition to Motion to Intervene

Nebraska Reply in Support of Motion to Intervene

118 Village of Pender Brief

114 Omaha Tribe Brief

127 Federal Brief

126 Nebraska Brief

134 Nebraska Response

135 US Response

136 Village of Pender Response

138 Omaha Tribe Response

140 Opinion

Tribal Court

Village of Pender v Morris — Omaha Tribal Court

Petitioner’s Opening Brief in Nebraska v. Parker

Here:

Nebraska Opening Brief

Our briefs and materials page on this case is here.

New University of North Dakota Nickname!

They’re the Flickertails Fighting Hawks.

Here is “After Decades of Hand-Wringing, U. of North Dakota Has a New Nickname.”

Federal Court Dismisses Access Fees Suit against Two Tribal Telecommunications Companies

Here are the relevant materials in MCI Communications Services Inc. v. Arizona Telephone Co. (N.D. Tex.):

37 Tribal Telecommunications Companies Motion to Dismiss

41 Opposition

42 Reply

48 Surreply

49 Final Tribal Reply

50 DCT Order

An excerpt:

In this action by two interexchange carriers (“IXCs”) seeking relief related to access fees that local exchange carriers (“LECs”) charge the IXCs to provide access services for wireless intraMTA calls, three defendants move to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) based on tribal immunity. For the reasons explained, the court grants the motion and also grants plaintiffs leave to replead.