Crow Tribal Court – Turtle Talk

More importantly, significant intervening circumstances exist to sufficiently purge the taint of the illegal stop. First, prior to the interview, Littlebird was arraigned in the Crow Tribal Court and received appointed counsel. Second, the record reflects that Littlebird himself likely initiated the interview with the investigating officers. Third, before the interview he spoke with his Tribal counsel—a crucial factor in attenuation. United States v. Wellins, 654 F.2d 550, 555 (9th Cir. 1981). And finally, his counsel was present during the entire interview.

PacificCorp v. Real Bird — No Tribal Court Jurisdiction

December 6, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher

This case, out of the District of Montana, involves a trespass claim in Crow Tribal Court by Crow allottees regarding a transmission wire owned by PacificCorp.

pacificorp-motion-for-summary-judgment

real-bird-motion-to-dismiss

magistrate-findings-and-recommentations

order-adopting-findings-and-recommendations

Part II of Billings Gazette Special Report on Tribal Sovereignty

May 6, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Billings Gazette (Part I is here):

Three days a week, a dozen or so defendants in criminal cases appear before a Crow Tribal Court judge.

They could be charged with anything from a traffic violation to murder, and they could be there for a five-minute guilty plea or a weeklong trial. It’s all in the mix of a court schedule that begins at 8 a.m. and sometimes stretches into the evening.

Last year, the court handled 3,410 criminal cases, 335 civil cases, plus an intensive drug court and juvenile proceedings for a total of more than 4,200 cases, according to Associate Justice Julie Yarlott. During most of that year, the court was operating with just two judges. A second associate judge position is in the process of being filled.

Continue reading →