treaty rights

Klamath Tribes Challenge Orders Based on Secret Agreement Between Irrigator Group and State

Matthew Campbell

On November 19, 2025, the Klamath Tribes filed a motion to amend their petition in the Circuit Court of Klamath County. The amended petition seeks to reverse recent illegal orders that replaced a long-time administrative law judge in the Klamath Basin Adjudication (KBA) on the heels of a secret deal cut between the Oregon State Office of Administrative Hearings and certain water users in the Upper Klamath Basin. Here is the amended petition:

2025-12-04 Klamath Tribes Am Pet for Relief from Non-Final Order or Pet for Writ of MandamusDownload

The KBA is a several-decades-old lawsuit pending in the Circuit Court of Klamath County. It is quantifying the federal reserved water rights of the Klamath Tribes in the Klamath River Basin. The KBA involves administrative hearings conducted by the Office of Administrative Hearings, which made initial determinations on the Tribes’ water rights claims. Extensive proceedings were conducted at the Office from 2006 to 2012, and the Klamath County Circuit Court recently returned cases there for additional proceedings.

Sault Tribe v. Michigan — Briefs in Opposition to Cert

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

Federal Brief in Opposition

Tribal Brief in Opposition

Petition here.

Michigan COA Holds Mackinac Band Member Possesses Fishing Rights

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the opinion in People v. Caswell.

Prior opinion here.

Briefs when we get them

Ninth Circuit Briefs in Blackfoot Citizens’ Challenge to Trump Tariffs

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the briefs so far in Webber v. Department of Homeland Security:

Opening Brief.pdfDownload
Answer Brief.pdfDownload
Reply.pdfDownload
Webber Supplemental Brief.pdfDownload

GTB Wins Suit against Polluter

ilpc

Here is the order in Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians v. Burnette Foods Inc. (W.D. Mich.):

ECF No. 133- Opinion & Order.pdfDownload

Prior post here.

Michigan Federal Allows GTB Suit against Polluter to Proceed

ilpc

Here are the materials in Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians v. Burnette Foods Inc. (W.D. Mich.):

16 Amended Complaint.pdfDownload
89 Plaintiffs Motion for Summary J.pdfDownload
91 Defendant Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
96 Defendant Motion for Summary J.pdfDownload
108 Response to 89.pdfDownload
110 Response to 91.pdfDownload
117 Response to 96.pdfDownload
118 Reply ISO 89.pdfDownload
119 Reply ISO 91.pdfDownload
121 Reply ISO 96.pdfDownload
132 DCT Order on Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload

Yakama Citizen Sues Government over Tariffs Citing 1855 Treaty

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the complaint in Lumley v. United States Customs and Border Protection (D. Or.):

Complaint.pdfDownload

Blast from the (recent, but what feels like a loooong time ago) Past: Interior Dept. Report on Impacts of Federal Dams on Salmon in the PNW

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

tribal-circumstances-analysisDownload

Ninth Circuit Rejects Stillaguamish Effort to Expand U&A Territory [U.S. v. Washington Subproceeding 17-03]

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the unpublished opinion in Stillaguamish Indian Tribe v. Upper Skagit Indian Tribe.

Briefs here.

Nez Perce Tribe Sues over Approval of Open Pit Gold Mine

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the complaint in Nez Perce Tribe v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service (D. Idaho):

1 Complaint.pdfDownload