Here are the materials in Cherokee Nation v. Johnson & Johnson (E.D. Okla.):
Eastern District of Oklahoma
Federal Court Decides Matter Involving ERISA and Tribal Court Jurisdiction
Here are the materials in Life Insurance Company of North America v. Hudson Insurance Company (E.D. Okla.):
An excerpt:
LINA argues that tribal exhaustion does not apply to an ERISA case. The exhaustion of tribal remedies requirement was modified in El Paso Natural Gas Company v. Neztsosie, 526 U.S. 473 (1999). In that case, the Supreme Court held that the tribal exhaustion requirement did not apply to a case involving the Price-Anderson Act, a statute with a broad preemptive scheme. LINA argues that the Northern District of Oklahoma has since held that like the Price-Anderson Act at issue in Neztsosie, ERISA preempts state and tribal court claims “related to benefit plans falling under its purview” and concluded that abstention would be inappropriate. Vandever v. Osage Nation Enterprise, Inc., No. 06-CV-380-GKF-TLW, 2009 WL 702776, at *5 (March 16, 2009 N.D. Okla.) (citing 29 U.S.C. § 1144). See also Coppe v. Sac & Fox Casino Healthcare Plan, No. 14-2598-RDR, 2015 WL 1137733 (March 13, 2015 D. Kansas). This court agrees.
Hudson argues, however, that Vandever is not controlling in this case because suits between insurers for reimbursement of benefits paid are not pre-empted by ERISA. Hudson is correct. Complete preemption under ERISA “is limited to claims brought under § 502(a), and that provision, in turn, is limited by its terms to claims ‘by a participant or beneficiary’ of an ERISA-regulated plan ‘to recover benefits due to him under the terms of his plan, to enforce his rights under the terms of the plan or to clarify his rights to future benefits under the terms of the plan.’” Hansen v. Harper Excavating, Inc., 641 F.3d 1216, 1221-22 (10th Cir. 2011) (citing 29 U.S.C. § 1132 (a)(1)(B)).
Federal Court Remands Choctaw Contract Dispute with its Insurer in Removal Action
Here are the materials in Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma v. Occidental Fire & Insurance Co. (E.D. Okla.):
15 Occidental Motion to Dismiss
18 Choctaw Opposition to Motion to Dismiss
26 Occidental Opposition to Motion to Remand
An excerpt:
Occidental characterizes the issue in this case as whether it may assert or waive the Nation’s sovereign immunity in connection with insurance coverage on a claim made on the policy. It has not been suggested that Congress provided authority for an insurer such as Occidental to abrogate, waive, or otherwise assert the sovereign immunity of an Indian nation through appropriate legislation. Consequently, the source of the waiver must be the Nation itself. The sole unequivocal statement of the relationship between the Nation and the insurers is the policy itself. Indeed, Occidental recognizes this fact by relying upon certain provisions within the policy to argue the Nation has specifically granted it a waiver or control over the assertion of sovereign immunity. The interpretation of the terms of the policy as a contract is governed exclusively by state law.
Federal Court Denies Intervention to Dosar-Barkus Band in Seminole Nation v. Salazar Trust Settlement
Here are the materials in Seminole Nation of Oklahoma v. Salazar (E.D. Okla.):
DCT Order Denying Motion to Intervene
Muscogee v. HUD — Federal Court Dismisses Challenge to HUD Determination on MCN Investment of Housing Funds
Here are the materials in Muscogee (Creek) Nation v. HUD (E.D. Okla.):
Federal Court Enjoins Muscogee Prosecution of Tribal Members for Theft
Here are the materials in Fife v. Moore (E.D. Okla.):
The court concluded that the Muscogee District Court had no jurisdiction to prosecute tribal members for theft against the tribal government because the crime did not occur in Indian country (which until recently would have been considered preposterous).
This case implicates two important issues (one at Muscogee and one involving many Oklahoma tribes). The first is the continuing dispute over the tribal district court at Muscogee (see our posts here and here). The other involves Indian Country in Oklahoma, the subject of a cert petition involving the Supreme Court (most recent post here).
Muscogee Challenges to Oklahoma’s Enforcement of Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement Rejected
Here is the opinion in Muscogee (Creek) Nation v. Henry (E.D. Okla.):
Russell v. Pyle — IFP Claim against Choctaw Nation Dismissed Sua Sponte
Trust Accounting Case re: Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town
Here is the opinion in Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town v. United States (E.D. Okla.): Alabama-Quassrte Tribal Town v. United States. The court denied the government’s motion for summary judgment.
An excerpt:
In its Complaint, Plaintiff requests: (1) a declaratory judgment that the Defendants have failed to fulfill the legal obligations and duties as trustee by, among other things, failing to provide the Plaintiff with a full accounting of the Plaintiff’s trust funds and by failing to assign the Wetumka Project lands as originally intended and as Congress had envisioned through the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, 25 U.S.C. §§ 501, et seq. (hereinafter “OIWA”); and (2) an injunction compelling the Department of the Interior Defendants to make the assignment to the Plaintiff of trust lands owed under the OIWA and to provide the Plaintiff with a full and complete accounting of all of the Plaintiff’s trust funds and assets.
On November 17, 2008, the court granted Defendants’ motion for partial judgment on the pleadings as to the Wetumka Project lands and dismissed those claims. Docket No. 50. The only claims remaining are the trust accounting claims. Plaintiff still seeks a full and complete accounting of its trust funds and assets.
Federal Court Finds Tribal Pension Plan Fits Within ERISA Governmental Plan Provision
Here are the materials in Stopp v. Mutual of Omaha (E.D. Okla.):
DCT Order Granting Stopp Motion
Stopp Motion for Summary Judgment
Mutual of Omaha Response to Stopp Motion for Summary Judgment
Stopp Response to Mutual of Omaha Motion for Summary Judgment
Looks like the insurance company is the bad guy in this one.
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