News – Page 130 – Turtle Talk

Hometown Profile of Zeke Fletcher

April 17, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here (we’re from Wayland, which now for the first time ever seems to like Indians, mostly). An excerpt:

Zeke Fletcher, a 1998 graduate of Wayland High School, now is owner of his Lansing law firm and counsel to the Gun Lake Band of Potowatamis.
The owner of Fletcher Law PLLC and formerly a partner at Rosette, LLP and an associate at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz & Cohn, he earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan in 2003 and his juris doctor law degree at the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2006.
While at Wayland, Fletcher earned fame as a top-notch golfer and was individual Class B state co-champion for the Wildcats in the fall of 1997, carding an 18-hole score of 74 in the finals match.

PHOTO: Zeke Fletcher, legal counsel for the Gun Lake Tribe, relaxes and listens to proceedings at a recent Hopkins Township Board meeting.

NYTs Coverage of Baby Veronica Argument

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

NYTs Editorial Board Opposes Cherokee Parent in Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl

April 16, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher5 Comments

Ugh.

Here.

National Law Journal Appellate Lawyer of the Week — Chrissi Ross Nimmo

April 15, 2013April 15, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

An excerpt (the full article text is available on the Cherokee Nation website):

Nimmo was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of Cherokee Nation. She was raised in Warner, Oklahoma, which, she likes to say, is probably the only town in the country with a college and no stoplight. “It’s that small,” she said. She has a master’s in business administration from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah and a law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

The Cherokee Nation’s attorney general’s office is midsized “by Oklahoma standards,” 10 attorneys. Nine are tribal citizens and one is an “honorary” Cherokee. They are prosecutors in Cherokee court and in-house counsel to Cherokee Nation by advising its departments, handling contracts and appeals before administrative boards, among other duties.

Nimmo joined the attorney general’s office right out of law school in 2008. “I was in the top five percent of my class and did some internships at some big law firms in Tulsa,” she recalled. “I quickly realized that was not what I wanted to do when I graduated. Part of it was I wanted to be in a courtroom. I also didn’t want to do solo. This is a great place to work. As an attorney, I’m salaried and don’t do billable hours. Why would you ever leave that?

“Indian law is a tight knit group of attorneys. Whether you work in-house for a tribe or represent a tribe, every Indian law decision in an appellate court can affect all tribes.”

Asked and Answered on Lansing Casino Litigation

April 15, 2013April 15, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Featuring ~~“Steve”~~ Matthew Fletcher. Here.

An excerpt:

Thorpe: What is likely to be the next step in this process and when might it take place?

Fletcher: The next step is to litigate the Section 9 question; that is, whether it applies at all because of MILCSA and, if so, whether it forecloses the fee to trust application. I was surprised that Judge Jonker shut down Sault Tribe this early in the process, but it really hurts the tribe. Had Sault Tribe put in their application, the federal government is a party. And especially if Interior took the land into trust, suddenly the United States is a defendant, and they’re much more difficult to defeat than a mere Indian tribe. And no one is better suited to know the implications of an injunction at this early date than Judge Jonker, with all his experience litigating against the United States in Indian gaming cases.

Thorpe: If you were a betting man, what would you say are the odds of the Lansing casino ever being built, at least be the current proposed ownership team?

Fletcher: Flip a coin. Sault Tribe, because of its advantageous position as a result of MILCSA, has the best chance of any tribe. But the Section 9 problem may shut it all down. Moreover, all it takes is one rider in an Interior appropriations bill to undercut that provision.

NYTs: French Court Allows Sale of Hopi Artifacts

April 12, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Prior post here.

Senate Confirms Sally Jewell as New Interior Secretary

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here. Via Pechanga.

Native America Calling: The Battle for Baby Veronica (feat. Kate Fort)

April 10, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

Tuesday, April 9, 2013 – The Battle for Baby Veronica (listen)
The United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl next week. The case could have long term effects on future adoptions of Native children. The child, a member of the Cherokee Nation, was given up for adoption by her non-Native mother without the consent of the father. At the heart of the Supreme Court case is the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), which regulates adoptions of Native children outside of their tribe. We’re taking a closer look at this case and what it means for Native America. How might the outcome of the case impact families or tribes? What’s the role of tribes in the adoption process? Guests include Chrissi Nimmo (Cherokee) Assistant Attorney General for the Cherokee Nation.

MSU-E (Emily Proctor): “How VAWA Impacts Tribal Nations in Michigan”

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here. H/T Pechanga.

An excerpt:

Each of the 12 federally recognized tribes of Michigan have their own tribal court and social service departments that assist women and families who are in violent situations. Michigan State University Extension continues to work with Michigan tribal nations to address the needs of communities in the area of government and public policy.

For more information, please contact Emily Proctor, MSU Extension educator on tribal nations, with questions or comments at 231-439-8927 or proctor8@anr.msu.edu.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).