Federal Circuit Rejects Wyandot Nation of Kansas Trust Claims

Here is the opinion in Wyandot Nation of Kansas v. United States.

An excerpt:

The Wyandot Nation of Kansas (“Wyandot Nation”) is a Native American tribe allegedly tracing its ancestry to the Historic Wyandot Nation. It claims to be a federally recognized Indian tribe and a successor-in-interest to all of the treaties between the Historic Wyandot Nation and the United States. On June 1, 2015, Wyandot Nation filed a complaint in the United States Court of Federal Claims alleging that the United States had breached its trust and fiduciary obligations with respect to two trusts that resulted from prior treaties, including one related to amounts payable under a treaty signed in 1867 and one related to the Huron Cemetery. The Court of Federal Claims dismissed without prejudice for lack of jurisdiction and standing. Wyandot Nation appeals. We affirm.

Briefs here.

Federal Circuit Revives “Bad Men Clause” Claim

Here are the materials in Jones v. United States.

Opinion

Briefs:

Jones Brief

US Response Brief

Reply

 

Federal Circuit Materials in Wyandot Trust Case

Here are the materials in Wyandot Nation of Kansas v. United States (Fed. Cir.):

Wyandot Opening Brief

Wyandot Appeal – PCPart1

Wyandot Appeal – PCPart2

WYANDOT APPEAL PCPart3

WYANDOTAPPEALPCPart4

US Brief

Reply

Lower court materials here.

Laguna Loses Contract Dispute with Defense Dept.

Here is the opinion in Laguna Construction Co. v. Carter

Two Shields En Banc Petition

Here is the en banc petition in Two Shields v. United States (Fed. Cir.):

2016-06-13 Two Shields (Appeal) dkt 46 Combined Pet for Panel Rehearing and Rehearing en Banc of Appellants Ramona Two Shields and Mary Louise Defen

Panel materials here.

Federal Circuit Decides Two Shields v. United States

Here is the opinion.

An excerpt:

Appellants Ramona Two Shields and Mary Louise Defender Wilson brought this action against the United States, seeking redress for themselves and other Native Americans in connection with the government’s alleged mismanagement of oil-and-gas leases on Indian allotment land. The United States Court of Federal Claims found in favor of the government, granting summary judgment on Count I and dismissing Counts II and III. J.A. 1–30. We affirm.

Briefs and other materials here.

Federal Circuit Materials in Two Shields v. United States

Oral argument audio in Two Shields v. United States (Fed. Cir.):

Briefs:

Two Shields Opening Brief

US Answer Brief

Reply Brief

Lower court materials here.

Federal Circuit Sitting En Banc Declares Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act Unconstitutional

Here is the opinion in In re Tam:

In re Tam

An excerpt:

Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act bars the Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) from registering scandalous, immoral, or disparaging marks. 15 U.S.C. § 1052(a). The government enacted this law—and defends it today— because it disapproves of the messages conveyed by disparaging marks. It is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment that the government may not penalize private speech merely because it disapproves of the message it conveys. That principle governs even when the government’s message-discriminatory penalty is less than a prohibition.

Courts have been slow to appreciate the expressive power of trademarks. Words—even a single word—can be powerful. Mr. Simon Shiao Tam named his band THE SLANTS to make a statement about racial and cultural issues in this country. With his band name, Mr. Tam conveys more about our society than many volumes of undisputedly protected speech. Another rejected mark, STOP THE ISLAMISATION OF AMERICA, proclaims that Islamisation is undesirable and should be stopped. Many of the marks rejected as disparaging convey hurtful speech that harms members of oft-stigmatized communities. But the First Amendment protects even hurtful speech.

The government cannot refuse to register disparaging marks because it disapproves of the expressive messages conveyed by the marks. It cannot refuse to register marks because it concludes that such marks will be disparaging to others. The government regulation at issue amounts to viewpoint discrimination, and under the strict scrutiny review appropriate for government regulation of message or viewpoint, we conclude that the disparagement proscription of § 2(a) is unconstitutional. Because the government has offered no legitimate interests justifying § 2(a), we conclude that it would also be unconstitutional under the intermediate scrutiny traditionally applied to regulation of the commercial aspects of speech. 

 

Federal Circuit Rejects Yurok Tribe’s ISDEAA Contract Claim

Here are the materials in Yurok Tribe v. Dept. of Interior:

CAFed Opinion

An excerpt:

The Yurok Tribe (Tribe) appeals from the Civilian Board of Contracting Appeals’ (Board) dismissal for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. J.A. 2–3. Because the Tribe has not been awarded a contract, we affirm.

1 Yurok Opening Brief

2 Interior Answer Brief

3 Yurok Reply Brief

Federal Circuit to Decide En Banc if Lanham Act § 2(a) Banning “Disparaging” Marks is Constitutional

Here are the materials in In re Tam:

CAFED Panel Opinion

Sue Sponte Hearing En Banc Order

Panel materials:

Tam Opening Brief

USPTO Brief

Tam Reply