Turtle Talk

On January 21, 2025, in Jacobsen, MT Sec. of State v. Montana Democratic Party, et al., the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the Montana Supreme Court’s decision that two Montana laws that disenfranchise Native American voters are unconstitutional. The Blackfeet Nation, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, the Fort Belknap Indian Community, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Western Native Voice, and Montana Native Voice have repeatedly won their challenges to two Montana laws that suppressed the Native vote in Montana by restricting access.

The Montana Legislature passed HB 176 to eliminate Election Day registration, which Native American voters disproportionately rely on to cast votes in Montana. Legislators passed HB 530 to restrict third-party ballot assistance, a service that aids Native voters living on reservations who may have to travel hours to the nearest polling location due to systemic inequities. The lower courts ruled, and the Montana Supreme Court affirmed, that the laws violate provisions of the Montana Constitution, including the right to vote, equal protection, free speech, and due process.

This is the second time that Montana Legislators passed restrictions on ballot collection that the courts determined discriminated against Native voters.

More here.

5Qs: Matthew Fletcher Discusses His New Short Story Collection

January 22, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Washington SCT Briefs in Immovable Property Immunity “Exception” Appeal

January 21, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the briefs in Flying T Ranch v. Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians:

13 – Respondent’s Supplemental Brief.pdf Download

14 – Petitioners Supplemental Brief.pdf Download

Washington COA materials here.

Biden Commutes Leonard Peltier’s Sentence

January 20, 2025January 20, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Statement from the White House [gone already]

MPR

PBS

Interior Solicitor M Opinion on the Power of the Interior Secretary to Acquire Land in Trust for United Keetoowah Band

January 20, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

m-37084-cherokee-res.pdf Download

Blast from the Past: Announcement of the Publication of the Indian Law Report

January 20, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Neshnawbe News, early summer 1974:

Updated Harvard NALSA Symposium Info. Feb 28, 2025

January 19, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The Harvard Law School (HLS) Native Law Students Association (NALSA) is excited to present the 2025 HLS Indian Law Symposium, titled”De-Othering Indian Law: Indigenous Topics as Canon Legal Doctrine.”

The symposium will be a day-long event on Friday, February 28, 2025,from 9am – 5pm.
The symposium is open to the public and free to attend forregistered attendees. You can register using the form link located on the symposium website.

We have an amazing line-up of speakers coming, including:
U.S. District Court Judge Sunshine S. Sykes, ASU Law School Dean Stacy Leeds, Navajo Nation Chief Justice JoAnn Jayne, White House Senior Policy Advisor on Native Affairs and Stanford Professor Elizabeth Reese, UNSW & HLS Professor Megan Davis, MSU Professor Wenona T. Singel, and University of Michigan Professor Matthew Fletcher.

For those interested in a virtual link to the symposium, please fill out the registration form and indicate interest in a virtual live stream option.

For any questions, please contact nalsa@mail.law.harvard.edu.

Stanford NALSA Admissions Panel — Jan. 26

January 17, 2025Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Join the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) to learn more about the law school application process. Current NALSA members will provide tips, best practices, and answer general questions about SLS and admissions. This event is open to the public.