Bureau of Indian Affairs

Washington Federal Court Dismisses Wildfire Claims against BIA

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Townsend Ranch LLC v. United States (E.D. Wash.):

15 Second Amended Complaint.pdfDownload
26 US Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
31 Response.pdfDownload
34 Reply.pdfDownload
36 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Ninth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Purported Whistleblower’s Suit against BIA

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Kent v. Lacounte:

CA9 Unpublished Memorandum .PDFDownload
Kent Brief.PDFDownload
Federal Answer Brief.PDFDownload
Reply.PDFDownload
Shelly Niro

Prior post here.

Another California Valley Miwok Lawsuit Filed

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the new complaint in California Valley Miwok Tribe v. Haaland (D.D.C.):

1 Complaint.pdfDownload

“Just Fine with Us”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher
August 28, 1980

Postscript — Frank Kelley was wrong.

Montana Federal Court Orders Stay in Blackfeet Trespass Case, Orders Eagle Bear to Put Up $1M Bond

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the new materials in Eagle Bear Inc. v. Blackfeet Indian Nation (D. Mont.):

140 Motion for Stay.pdfDownload
142 Tribe Opposition.pdfDownload
143 DCT Order on Stay and Bond.pdfDownload

Prior post here.

(Belatedly, We Announce the) New 25 CFR Part 151 Land Acquisitions Rule

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Been busy having fun out of the office . . . .

I’d say courtesy of Bill Wood, the king of sigma, but I didn’t ask for his permish for this one.

Montana Federal Court Confirms Cancellation of Eagle Bear Lease

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Eagle Bear Inc. v. Blackfeet Indian Nation (D. Mont.)

118 Eagle Bear Supplemental Brief.pdfDownload
119 Blackfeet Supplemental Brief.pdfDownload
120 BIA Supplemental Brief.pdfDownload
136 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Prior post here.

Materials on Eagle Bear’s bankruptcy proceedings are here.

Sault Tribe Trust Land Acquisition Appeal [updated 1/12/24]

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the briefs (only one so far) in Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians v. Haaland (D.C. Cir.):

Sault Tribe Opening Brief.pdfDownload
Federal Answer Brief.pdfDownload
Saginaw Chippewa and Nottawaseppi Brief.pdfDownload
Detroit Casinos Brief.pdfDownload

Sault Tribe Reply

Lower court materials here.

North Dakota Federal Dismisses Federal Common Law Trespass Claims of Indian Allottees against Pipeline Company

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Chase v. Andeavor Logistics PC (D.N.D.):

74 MTD — Subject Matter Jurisdiction.pdfDownload
75 MTD — 12b6.pdfDownload
76 MTD- Rule 19.pdfDownload
77 MTD — Failure to Exhaust.pdfDownload
85 Consolidated Response.pdfDownload
86 Reply ISO 75.pdfDownload
87 Reply ISO 77.pdfDownload
90 Reply ISO 74.pdfDownload
91 Reply ISO 76.pdfDownload
134 Chase Supplemental Brief.pdfDownload
138 Andeavor Supplemental Brief.pdfDownload
139 DCT Order.pdfDownload

South Dakota Federal Court Declines to Dismiss Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Demand for Federal Law Enforcement Funding

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the updated materials in Oglala Sioux Tribe v. United States (D.S.D.):

35 Federal Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
43 Oglala Reply.pdfDownload
55 Federal Reply.pdfDownload
78 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Prior post with additional briefs here.

Jaune Smith