Colville Confederated Tribes Seeks In-House Attorneys

Here:

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Office of the Reservation Attorney, seeks attorneys with experience and expertise in Indian Law and in working for a tribal government. Expertise in issues related to Tribal Governmental Law and Policy,  Water/Natural Resources Law, Economic Development Law, and/or Employment Law. Strong research and writing skills are required. Candidates with litigation experience and experience working with Indian Tribes are particularly encouraged to apply. The Colville Reservation headquarters are located in Nespelem, Wash., and the Reservation contains over 1.4 million acres and provides attorneys the opportunity to work on a variety of important Tribal and Indian Law matters. The Office of Reservation Attorneys is one of the oldest on-reservation tribal government Law Offices, with a strong tradition of excellence.

Federal Tort Claim Arising on Colville Job Site May Proceed against US

Here are the materials in Farmer v. United States (E.D. Wash.):

14 US Motion to Dismiss

22 Opposition

27 US Reply

34 DCT Order

An excerpt:

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages for injuries sustained as a result of alleged negligence by Defendant Ron Shaffer. According to Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint (ECF No.20), he was working for Jones Brothers Construction in Inchelium, Washington on October 25, 2011. Plaintiff was part of a construction crew that was building a pole-style structure for the local Fire Hall/EMT Unit. The structure was being constructed pursuant to a contract between Confederated Tribes Of The Colville Indian Reservation and Jones Brothers Construction. Plaintiff alleges that on that day, “[a]n EMT on duty for the Colville Confederated Tribes EMT Unit, Ronald L. Shaffer, took it upon himself to [2]  help the construction crew.” According to the First Amended Complaint, while Plaintiff was on a ladder setting girder trusses, “Mr. Shaffer negligently swung a sledge hammer and struck [Plaintiff’s] left hand with the sledge hammer causing [a] fracture to his long finger and other injuries.”

Plaintiff sues the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), 26 U.S.C. §2674. He sues Mr. Shaffer and his wife, presumably, for common law negligence under this court’s supplemental jurisdiction, 28 U.S.C. §1367(a). Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1), the United States now moves to dismiss the FTCA claim against it, asserting there is no subject matter jurisdiction because Mr. Shaffer was not acting pursuant to the contract between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Colville Confederated Tribes, and furthermore, was not acting within the scope of his employment with the Tribes.

 

News Profile of Tribal Marriage Equality Initiatives

Here is “These Native-American Tribes Are Pioneering Marriage Equality:The Puyallup Tribe is the latest to join a growing list of Native-American tribes legalizing same-sex marriage, many in states that have banned it.”

Colville Job Announcements

Here:

Associate Judge

Chief Of Police

Deputy CIO Job Announcement

Colville Deputy Prosecutor Job Posting

Here:

Deputy Prosecutor official HR POSTING 060914

Attorney Job Postings — Colville, Fort Thompson, Pine Ridge

Here:

Fort Thompson (Dakota Plains Legal Services): FTO Staff-Mg Atty Advertisement 01-29-14

Pine Ridge (Dakota Plains Legal Services): PRO Mg Atty Advertisement 01-29-14

Colville: Staff Attorney 2 positions

Colville Seeks Chief Judge

Here is the announcement:

Chief Judge JA

 

Tonasket v. Sargent Cert Stage Reply Brief

Here:

Tonasket v Sargent Cert Stage Reply

Tonasket v. Sargent Cert Opposition Brief:

Here:

Tonasket v Sargent Cert Opp

The petition is here.

Tonasket v. Sargent Cert Petition — Challenge to Colville Tax Compact

Here:

Tonasket v Sargent Cert Petition

Questions presented:

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 that include the tribe’s tobacco tax administrator, acting in violation of federal law, can be protected by tribal immunity when prospective relief is sought?

Lower court materials here.