Federal Court Allows Leave to Amend Civil Rights Complaint against Salt River Police re: Medicinal Marijuana Confiscation

Here are the materials so far in Phillips v. Salt River Police Dep’t (D. Ariz.):

DCT Order

Phillips Complaint

Denver District Court Rejects Western Sky Financial’s Assertion of Tribal Immunity (and Issues Sanctions for Asserting It)

Here is the opinion in State ex rel. Suthers v. Western Sky Financial LLC:

Order Granting Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment

An excerpt:

Accordingly, because Defendants’ business activities are conducted off-reservation and because Defendants solicit and advertise their business in Colorado and have, in fact, entered into loan agreements with Colorado citizens, Defendants are not entitled to tribal immunity or federal preemption. Rather, based on the undisputed facts before the Court, the Court concludes that Defendants are subject to the Code’s previsions and are thereby liable for any violation thereof. Specifically, because Western Sky is not, and has never been, licensed as a supervised lender, and because unlicensed lenders are not authorized to charge a finance charge on supervised loans, Defendants’ liability for restitution to consumers of all finance charges, including penalties, on all unlicensed loans made or collected with respect to Colorado citizens, is established as a matter of law.

And, on the sanctions:

Accordingly, because Defendants tribal immunity and federal preemption arguments lack substantial justification, the State is entitled to recover its attorney’s fees expended in replying to Defendants Response insofar as the State can establish the reasonable fees incurred in addressing Defendants’ tribal immunity and preemption arguments.

Minnesota COA Forces Fond du Lac Band Back into State Court to Deal with City of Duluth’s Contract Breach Claim

Here is the unpublished opinion in City of Duluth v. Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Minn. App.).

Miller v. Wright Cert Petition

Here:

Miller v Wright Cert Petition

Questions presented:

The questions presented in this case are:
1. Whether Indian tribal immunity from suit allows the Indian tribe, a price fixing competitor, to be immune from federal anti-trust laws?
2. Whether the officials of an Indian tribe, acting beyond their authority, can be protected by tribal immunity when prospective relief is sought?
Lower court materials here.

 

Timbisha Leadership Dispute Dismissed under Rule 19

My favorite rule!

Here are the materials in Timbisha Shoshone Tribe v. Dept. of Interior (E.D. Cal.):

2011 Elected Council Motion to Dismiss

Interior Motion to Dismiss

Death Valley Council Opposition

Interior Reply

2011 Elected Council Reply

DCT Order Dismissing Complaint

Prior post on the PI stage of this case here.

 

Poarch Band Creek Motion to Dismiss State of Alabama Suit Challenging Tribal Bingo under State Nuisance Theory

Here are the updated materials in State of Alabama v. PCI Gaming Authority (M.D. Ala.):

PBCI Motion to Dismiss

PBCI Notice of Removal + Exhibits

Prior post here.

News coverage here.

Luckerman v. Narragansett Indian Tribe: Suit to Recover Attorney Fees

Here is the tribe’s notice of removal to federal court, and the state court complaint is attached:

Notice of Removal + State Court Complaint

 

Federal Court Rejects Alabama-Coushatta Tribe’s Effort to Force US to Pay Land Claims Judgment

Here are the materials in Alabama-Coushatta Tribe v. United States (E.D. Tex.):

US Motion to Dismiss

Alabama-Coushatta Opposition

US Reply

MJ R&R Recommending Dismissal

DCT Order Adopting MJ R&R

We posted the complaint here.

Materials in Denial of Yakama Motion to Dismiss Washington v. Yakama Tribal Court

Here:

DCT Order Denying Yakama Motion to Dismiss

Yakama Motion to Dismiss

Washington Opposition to Motion to Dismiss

Yakama Reply re Motion to Dismiss

PI materials here.

Is Nooksack Attempting to Disenroll Filipino Descendants?

Here.

ETA: As pointed out on our Facebook page, here’s the LA Times article linked to in that article with additional background. Thanks to T.S.