Split Tenth Circuit Panel Affirms Sanctions Award Against Ute Tribe

Here is the order in Becker v. Ute Indian Tribe.

Lower court materials here.

Idaho Federal Court Remands Contract Action to Tribal Court

Here is the order in Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. Vanir Construction Management Inc. (D. Idaho):

Briefs here.

Bird v. Three Affiliated Cert Petition [sovereign immunity]

Here is the petition in Bird v. Tribal Business Council of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation:

Question presented:

Does inclusion of a mandatory arbitration clause in an Agreement with an Indian Tribe waive the Tribe’s sovereign immunity?

Eighth Circuit materials:

District court materials here.

Arizona Federal Court Holds Business 51% Owned by Navajo Company Not Immune from Title VII Suit

Here are the materials in Tsosie v. NTUA Wireless LLC (D. Ariz.):

California Federal Court Dismisses Buena Vista Rancheria Nuisance Suit against Neighboring Polluter for Lack of Ripeness

Here are the materials in Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians v. Pacific Coast Building Products Inc. (E.D. Cal.):

Second Circuit Affirms Conviction of Conspirator in Wakpamni Frauds

Here are the available materials in United States v. Archer:

We’ve posted on the Wakpamni Lake Community Corporation frauds (plus a bunch of other cases involving this litigious entity) at great length, tag here. For materials on this specific character, Archer, see here.

North Dakota Federal Court Allows Challenge to Tribal TERO Suit to Proceed against TERO Officer

Here are the materials in Dakota Metal Fabrication v. Parisien (D.N.D.):

Modoc Nation and FAA Prevail in Challenge to Airport Sale to Tribe

Here is the unpublished order in Tule Lake Committee v. FAA:

Jaune Smith

Split Montana SCT Decides Arm of the Tribe Sovereign Immunity Case, sorta. . . .

Here are the materials in Lustre Oil Co. LLC v. Anadarko Minerals Inc. (Mont. S. Ct.):

Adam Crepelle on an Intertribal Business Court

Interesting idea.

Adam Crepelle has published “An Intertribal Business Court” in the American Business Law Journal. Here is the abstract:

Few Indian reservations have any semblance of a private sector. Consequently, poverty and unemployment are major problems in much of Indian country. While there are many reasons why private enterprise is scarce in Indian country, one of the foremost reasons is businesses do not trust tribal courts. Businesses’ distrust of tribal courts is not unique as outsiders often fear bias in foreign tribunals. Similarly, businesses are often concerned about a court’s capacity to adjudicate complex disputes. Federal diversity jurisdiction was developed to allay fear of bias, and many states have developed business courts to address questions about court capacity. Tribes can overcome these issues by creating an intertribal business court (IBC). Tribes will be free to sculpt the IBC as they see fit. However, the IBC’s intertribal nature will help reduce fears of bias, and an IBC’s focus on business disputes will answer doubts about court capacity. An IBC will also make tribal law more accessible, further increasing confidence in this new tribunal. As businesses gain greater confidence in tribal legal institutions through the IBC, they will be more likely to operate in Indian country. Accordingly, the IBC could help to transform tribal economies.