Featuring a profile if MSU Law ‘2011 grad Elaine Barr, our 2011-12 Center Fellow!
Michigan Indian
“Faith in Paper,” First Spring Speakers Event on January 15th at 2pm
MILS Fundraiser, January 25th
A Benefit for Michigan Indian Legal Services
Friday, January 25th 5:30pm-9:00pm
A benefit/fundraiser for MILS. Tickets are $50.00 per person and include 2 drinks and 1 raffle ticket. Doors open at 5:30p.m., welcome at 6:00p.m. followed by hors d’oeuvres. Tickets MUST be purchased in advance. For tickets contact MILS, any of their fantastic attorneys, or Angela Sherigan.
Sponsorship opportunities still available! Contact Angela Sherigan, 586-822-4220 for more information.
SCOTUSBlog: Two Indian Law Petitions to Watch for this Week’s Conference
Here:
Profile of Aaron Payment — Sault Tribe Chair
Here.
Second Update in Michigan’s Suit against Proposed Sault Tribe Lansing Casino
Here are the new materials in State of Michigan v. Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (W.D. Mich.):
Michigan Reply in Support of Motion for PI
Michigan Response to SSM Motion to Dismiss
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians filings:
2012-12-21 Amicus Brief with Exs.
2012-12-21 Memorandum in supportof Motion to file an amicus brief
2012-12-21 Motion to file an amicus brief
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe filings:
Previous materials are here (complaint and motion for PI) and here (Sault Tribe’s responsive pleadings).
Strange Article on Michigan Casinos and Fiscal Cliff
The lede:
Michigan’s casino industry could face some problems if the nation falls off the ‘fiscal cliff’ at the end of the year.
The meat:
Jake Miklocjik is an analyst who closely follows the casino industry in Michigan. He says the state’s two dozen casinos should fare better than those in Las Vegas, since the Michigan casinos are closer to their core clientele.
“By itself, when I look down through the fiscal cliff issues…I don’t really see a big impact on Michigan casinos,” says Miklocjik.
Miklocjik says Michigan’s casinos face more threats from other forms of gambling than they do from the fiscal cliff.
Huh?
Judicial Vacancies, Eastern District of Michigan
Applications through either Sen. Stabenow or Sen. Levin ‘s office.
Michigan COA Issues Conditional Reversal in ICWA Notice Case
Here is the unpublished opinion:
An excerpt:
Given the interests protected by ICWA, the potentially high costs of erroneously concluding that notice need not be sent, and the relatively low burden of erring in favor of requiring notice, the Supreme Court found “the standard for triggering the notice requirement of 25 USC 1912(a) must be a cautionary one,” and held that sufficiently reliable information of virtually any criteria on which tribal membership might be based suffices to trigger the notice requirement. Morris, 491 Mich at 88-89. The transcript of the November 29, 2004, hearing was not provided on appeal for review of the evidence indicating Indian heritage, but the trial court deemed the evidence “weakly strong” and felt it warranted provision of ICWA notice. On appeal, the parties agree that the lower court record does not show notice was provided in 2004. Given the fact that the notice requirement was triggered in 2004, it is unnecessary to decide whether respondent mother’s comments during the 2012 termination hearing were also sufficient to require notice. If her comments were not sufficient, or even if she denied SKV’s Indian heritage, the trigger occurred in 2004, and a parent cannot waive the child’s status. Morris, 491 Mich at 111.
Michigan ICWA Bill (MIFPA) Passes State House of Representatives–Will Likely Become Law
Some good news in this legislative session–the Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act just passed in the House and, having already passed in the Senate, is heading to the Governor’s office for him to sign. Bill status and versions are available here.

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