New Scholarship on Tribal Bankruptcy

Laura Coordes has posted “Beyond the Bankruptcy Code: A New Statutory Bankruptcy Regime for Tribal Debtors,” forthcoming in the Bankruptcy Developments Journal, on SSRN.

Here is the abstract:

Native American tribes and tribal businesses play an important role in U.S. commerce, but many of these entities are effectively prohibited from filing for bankruptcy relief when financial distress occurs. This Article demonstrates how and why the Bankruptcy Code is a poor fit for these “tribal debtors” and suggests that Congress enact a new statutory regime to provide structured debt relief for these entities rather than modify the Bankruptcy Code.

Although this proposal is novel with respect to tribal debtors, Congress has looked beyond the Bankruptcy Code to provide debt relief when use of the Code would be inapt on two other recent occasions: the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act and PROMESA. Using tribal debtors as an example, this Article investigates whether and how this practice might continue and what it might mean for the bankruptcy system writ large.

Federal Court Dismisses First Nations Business Constitutional Claims re: Connecticut Tobacco Directory

Here are the materials in Grand River Enterprises Six Nations LTD v. Sullivan (D. Conn.):

74 Second Amended Complaint

82-1 Connecticut Motion to Dismiss

86 Opposition

95 Reply

97 Surreply

100 DCT Order

New Scholarship by Jeanette Wolfley on Indian Tribes and the Energy Industry

Jeanette Wolfley has published “Embracing Engagement: The Challenges and Opportunities for the Energy Industry and Tribal Nations on Projects Affecting Tribal Rights and Off-Reservation Lands” in the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law.

 

En Banc Petition Materials in St. Regis Mohawk Tribe v. Mylan Pharmaceuticals

Here:

En Banc Petition

States Amicus Brief

University of Minnesota Brief

University of New Mexico Amicus Brief

Prior posts here.

Background Materials in Washington State Department of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc.

Supreme Court

–Merits Stage

Joint Appendix

Petitioner’s Brief

SG Brief

Respondent’s Brief

Sacred Ground Legal Services Amicus Brief

Yakama Nation Amicus Brief

Nez Perce Tribe Amicus Brief

NCAI Amicus Brief

Reply Brief

–Cert Stage

Cert Petition

Cougar Den Cert Opp

Reply

SG Brief

supplemental brief for respondent in response to brief of us solicitor general

Washington Supreme Court

Here is the opinion in Cougar Den Inc. v. Washington State Dept. of Licensing.

Briefs:

92289-6 Appellant’s Opening Brief

92289-6 Appellant’s Reply

92289-6 Appellant’s Response to Amicus Brief

92289-6 Respondent’s Brief

92289-6 Yakama Nation Amicus Brief

Federal Magistrate Quashes Third Party Subpoena Issued against Tunica Biloxi Tribal Enterprise

Here are the materials in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. ThinkFinance (E.D. La.):

1 motion to quash subpoena

4 thinkfinance memorandum

5 reply

8 magistrate order

Second Circuit Briefs in State of New York v. King Mountain Tobacco Inc.

Here:

King Mountain Opening Brief

NCAI Amicus Brief

New York Brief

US Amicus Biref

King Mountain Reply

Prior posts here.

Federal Court Allows CFPB Suit to Proceed against Think Finance

Here are the materials in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Think Finance (D. Mont.):

51 Motion to Dismiss

59 Response

61 Reply

65 NFOA & Oklahoma Amicus Brief

78 DCT Order

Bob Miller on Reviving Private Sector Economic Institutions in Indian Country

Robert J. Miller has posted “Sovereign Resilience: Reviving Private Sector Economic Institutions in Indian Country.” Here is the abstract:

Indian country in the United States is incredibly poor. Indian nations desperately need to develop reservation economic activities. Most tribal governments, however, are primarily focused on developing tribally owned businesses. This article argues for Indian peoples and governments to revive and regenerate their centuries’ old tribal institutions that promoted, supported, and protected private sector economic development and economies. Indian country and Indian peoples need to develop economic enterprises and activities in their homelands to ensure their sustainability by creating living wage jobs and adequate housing. Developing private sector economies, in addition to tribal public sector economies, will help create economic diversification on reservations, new businesses and jobs, protect from economic downturns, slow the “brain drain” that all rural areas suffer, and promote more spending which will help Indian country benefit from the “multiplier effect” as more and more money is spent, and re-spent, on reservations.

Materials in Williams v. Big Picture Loans LLC [Lac Vieux Desert Ojibwe Enterprise]

Here are the materials in Williams v. Big Picture Loans LLC (E.D. Va.):

23 big picture mtd jurisdiction

27 big picture mtd exhaustion

29 tribal officials mtd

83 opposition to 23

86 opposition to 27

87 opposition to 29

99 reply in support of 23

100 reply in support of 27

101 reply in support of 29

146 dct order

Update (4/17/19) — Here are materials in a related matter, Weddle v. Williams (D. Colo.):

1 Motion to Quash Subpoena

11 Motion to Transfer Motion

12 Response to Motion to Quash

17 Reply in Support of Motion to Quash

18 Response to Motion to Transfer

19 Third Party Motion to Intervene

20 Notice of Third Party Joinder

22 Reply in Support of Motion to Transfer

24 Response to Motion to Intervene

26 Third Party Reply

27 DCT Order Granting Motion to Transfer

Update (5/6/19) — Here are updated materials in Big Picture:

341-motion-to-compel.pdf

368-opposition.pdf

395-reply.pdf

478-dct-order.pdf