Federal Court Holds Little River Band Cannot Prosecute Tribal Member Crimes on Tribe-Owned Fee Land Outside of Indian Country

Here are the materials in Kelsey v. Pope (W.D. Mich.):

1 Kelsey Habeas Petition

13 LRB Response to Habeas Petition

16 Kelsey Reply

30 LRB Supplemental Memorandum

31 Kelsey Response

35 MJ R&R

36 LRB Objection

39 Kelsey Reply

41 DCT Order

Updated and Complete Summary Judgment Briefs in Cherokee Freedman Case

Here are the materials in Cherokee Nation v. Nash (D.D.C.):

233 Cherokee Nation Brief

234 Federal Defendants – Expert Report in Support of Partial Summary Judgment

Exhibit 3 Federal Defendants Motion and Memo In Support – Cross Motion for Partial Summary Judgment and Opposition to Cherokee Motion

235-1 Cherokee Freedmen Brief

235-3 Exhibits

239 Cherokee Nation Reply

243 Federal Defendants’ Reply to Cherokee Opposition to Cross-Motion for Partial Summary Judgment

243-1 Ex 1 to Federal Reply Brief

243-2 Ex 2 to Federal Reply Brief

244 Cherokee Freedmen Reply

Oral argument set for April 28, 2014.

Allegheny College Conference: “Democracy Realized? The Legacies of the Civil Rights Movement”

Description here.

I’ll be presenting a survey paper on tribal justice systems. Paper here.

Home of the Allegheny Alligators

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Bureau of Justice Statistics Seeks Comments on Tribal Court Survey

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) released a federal register notice requesting comments on a Tribal Court Survey that they will soon be releasing to all of Indian country. This survey represents a much needed and significant study of tribal court systems, and will serve as “the nation’s key measure of tribal court systems.” This data will be used to inform policy, funding program decisions and future areas of issues to address. Questions range from tribal court structure to case load to collaboration with other sovereigns.

Here are the Federal Register notice and three surveys:

Fed. Reg. Notice — Tribal Court Survey Mar. 25, 2014

NSTCS Draft__LOWER 48 SURVEY_2 5 14

NSTCS Draft_AK SURVEY_2 5 14

NSTCS Draft_CFR COURT SURVEY_2 5 14

Note that there are three versions of the survey attached, one for Lower 48 Tribes, one for Alaska Tribes, and one for Tribes with CFR Courts.

BJS is currently accepting comments from the public regarding this survey. We highly encourage you, and especially your tribal court personnel, to take a look and provide any thoughts. Even short responses are welcome, as the quality of this survey will directly impact the quality of the results.

Public comments will be accepted until May 27, 2014.

Submit your comments (and/or questions) to:
Steven Perry
Statistician, Bureau of Justice Statistics
810 Seventh Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20531
(202) 307-0777
Steven.W.Perry@usdoj.gov

Caddo Nation Leadership Dispute in Federal Court

Here are the materials in Caddo Nation of Oklahoma v. Court of Indian Offenses for the Anadarko Agency (W.D. Okla.):

1 Complaint

1-7 Petn for Emergency TRO

1-8 CIO Emergency TRO

2 Plaintiff Motion for TRO

8 Plaintiff Supplemental Brief

9 DCT Order

Federal Court Holds Tribe May Prosecute Disenrollee

Here are the materials in Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians v. Phebus (D. Nev.):

1 Complaint

1-1 Tribal Court of Appeals Opinion

8 Motion for Declaratory Judgment

10 DCT Order

An excerpt:

The Court DECLARES that the Tribe may assert criminal jurisdiction over any person qualifying as an Indian under the ICRA, as interpreted in cases such as United States v. Bruce, 394 F.3d 1215 (9th Cir. 2005), but in such a prosecution the Tribe must prove Indian status beyond a reasonable doubt, and the Tribal Court must submit the question to a jury where the crime is punishable by imprisonment, unless the jury right is properly waived, and there is no evidence that these procedures were followed as to Phebus in the cases cited. Furthermore, if the Tribe seeks to prosecute a non-member whose membership it has revoked or rejected, the Indian status analysis in such a prosecution may not rely upon political affiliation with the Tribe, but only upon actual or de facto membership in another tribe.

Federal Court Requires Exhaustion of Tribal Remedies in ICRA Habeas Claim

Here are the materials in Styliest v. Rosebud Sioux Tribe (D.S.D.):

1 Habeas Petition

5 DCT Order Denying Habeas Writ

The Eighth Circuit denied petitioner’s direct appeal of his federal conviction here.

Nooksack COA Strikes Down Disenrollment Procedures

Here is the opinion in Roberts v. Kelly:

Roberts v Kelly COA Opinion

Briefs are here.

Lower court materials are here.

Fifth Circuit Panel Issues Amended Opinion in Dolgencorp v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Here is the amended opinion:

CA5 Amended Opinion

The main amendment appears to be that the panel will no longer rely upon the Ninth Circuit’s holding in Water Wheel — and instead finds that the tribe retains jurisdiction over the underlying tort claim under the Montana 1 consensual relations exception.

The court also voted 9-5 to deny the en banc petition: CA5 Order Denying Dolgencorp En Banc Petition

En banc petition materials here.

Panel materials here.

Lower court decision and materials here.

News Preview of Nooksack Election; Disenrollments Hang in Balance

Here.

And here.