Arizona SCT Petition for Review of Dismissal of Tort Claim against Gila River Indian Community — Updated 8-28-13

Here is the petition in Shirk v. Lancaster:

Shirk Petition for Review

Update: Lancaster Response

Lower court materials here.

Wrongful Death Action arising from Hot Pursuit against Warm Springs Police Dismissed

Here are the materials in Estate of Kalama v. Jefferson County (D. Or.):

DCT Order Adopting Recommendations

Magistrate Recommendations

Warm Springs Motion

Plainitffs’ Response

Warm Springs Reply

Gaming Facility Lease Dispute Dismissed from Conn. Courts

Here is the opinion in Big Bubba’s BBQ, LLC v. Mohegan Tribal Gaming Auth. (Conn. Super.) (PDF).

An excerpt:

As a matter of fact and of law, this court finds no waiver of sovereign immunity that would permit this court to proceed with this case.   More specifically, the court finds no such waiver as to a suit under Conn. Gen.Stat. § 47a–43, whether the trial be by court or jury (see Conn. Gen.Stat. § 47a–44 and § 47a–45), or as to the equitable relief sought in this case (see Conn. Gen.Stat. § 47a–45a(a), including restitution, and § 52–471 et seq., as to an injunction with or without bond) or as to any potential (but not pled) double damages claim (see Conn. Gen.Stat. § 47a–46).

N.Y. Appellate Division Concludes Tribal Enterprise Formed under Tribal Law Not Immune From Suit

Here is the opinion in Sue/Perior Concrete and Paving Co. v. Lewiston Golf Course Corp.:

Sue Perior v Lewiston Golf

An excerpt:

Other factors, however, including what the Court of Appeals has characterized as the “[m]ore important[]” financial factors, weigh in favor of a determination that LGCC does not share in the Nation’s sovereign immunity (id.). With respect to whether LGCC’s “purposes are similar to or serve those of the tribal government” (id.), we conclude that this factor supports the denial of sovereign immunity to LGCC. In minutes from its August 2002 meeting approving the creation of SGC, the Council declared that “it is . . . the policy of the Nation to promote the welfare and prosperity of its members and to actively promote, attract, encourage and develop economically sound commerce and industry through governmental action for the purpose of preventing unemployment and economic stagnation,” and that “the Gaming industry is vitally important to the economy of the Nation and the general welfare of its members.” To that end, the Council created SNFGC for the purpose of “developing, financing, operating and conducting the Nation’s gaming operations on its Niagara Falls Territory at the Niagara Falls Gaming Facility.” In creating the LGCC, the Council declared that, “in furtherance of the economic success of the Nation’s gaming operations, [SNFGC] has commenced development of a . . . golf course located in the Town of Lewiston, New York[, which] will be developed and operated as an amenity to . . . SNFGC’s casino operations, . . . the purpose of which amenities is to enhance the overall success and profitability of the casino’s operations” (emphasis added). In that manner, the Council believed that the golf course project “may reasonably be expected to benefit, directly or indirectly, the Nation” (emphasis added). Thus, the Council’s own statements reflect that the purpose of LGCC – to develop a golf course as an “amenity” to the Nation’s gaming operations – is several steps removed from the purposes of tribal government, e.g., “promoting tribal welfare, alleviating unemployment, [and] providing money for tribal programs” (Gristede’s Foods, Inc., 660 F Supp 2d at 477; cf. Ransom, 86 NY2d at 560).

These common law tests to decide whether a tribal enterprise is under the cloak of tribal immunity are baffling, generating far too many unpredictable results like this one. It’s fairly clear to me that the wide majority of courts would conclude a tribally-owned enterprise chartered under tribal law is immune without looking toward subjective factors such as what the purpose of the corporation is — tribes just aren’t for-profit entities. They’re governments.

Michigan v. Bay Mills Indian Community on Schedule in Supreme Court Conference Today

See SCOTUSblog. And docket. We should know Monday.

Here are the briefs:

Michigan v Bay Mills Cert Petition w Appendices

Bay Mills Cert Opp

Michigan Cert Stage Reply

United States Invitation Brief

Michigan Supplemental Brief

Federal Court Dismisses (with Leave to Amend) Indian Child Custody Suit against Mooretown Rancheria

Here are the materials in Hall v. Mooretown Rancheria (E.D. Cal.):

DCT Order Dismissing Complaint, Granting Leave to Amend

Hall Pro Se Complaint

Mooretown Motion to Dismiss

The interesting twist is the court’s treatment of Maxwell v. County of San Diego:

Pro se pleadings are liberally construed. … Unless it is clear that no amendment can cure the defects of a complaint, a pro se plaintiff proceeding in forma pauperis is entitled to notice and an opportunity to amend before dismissal. … The court is unable to determine a jurisdictional basis for this action as presently written.  Defendants Mooretown Rancheria, Feather Falls Casino, Gary Archuleta, and Francine McKinley are immune from this suit due to Mooretown Rancheria’s soverign immunity, or extension thereof. Also, any allegation made by plaintiff against defendant Rasmussen is wholly insubstantial and frivolous.

However, in the recent case of Maxwell v. County of San Diego, 697 F.3d 941, 954-955 (9th Cir. 2012), the Ninth Circuit refused to extend Cook v. AVI Casino to actions against tribal officials in their individual capacity. It is possible, although doubtful when viewing the present allegations, that plaintiff could amend the complaint to state individual actions.

Because the court lacks jurisdiction over the action as presently pled, the undersigned will not at this time reach any alternative arguments on the merits as if it had jurisdiction.

Federal Court Denies Tribal Intervention Motions in KG Urban v. Patrick

Here is that order:

DCT Order Denying Intervention

The intervention motions are here.

Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Gambling Addict’s Suit against Foxwoods

Here is the order in Tassone v. Foxwoods Resort Casino:

CA2 Summary Order

Briefs are here.

Lower court materials here.

Tort Claims Styled as Compact Breach against Barona Band Dismissed

Here are the materials in Nasella v. Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino (S.D. Cal.):

DCT Order Granting Motion to Dismiss

Barona Valley Motion to Dismiss

Nasella Complaint

NCAI Amicus Brief in Rape v. Poarch Band

Here:

NCAI Amicus Brief

Prior materials here.