Indian country opioid crisis

Free Trial Advocacy Skills Hosted by Bay Mills and MSU! This Week! For Trial Judges, Prosecutors and Defenders!

Monica Williamson

Now with 17.5 Minnesota CLE Credits!

free-trial-advocacy-skills-training-

Come to Michigan in June when it is beautiful! Open to judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors, this three-day training will provide trial skills training though a “learning-by-doing” teaching method, which includes lectures and demonstrations from training staff, and provides each participant with hands-on experience and practice sessions. This training is tuition free, however, space is limited.

Join us June 19-21, 2019

Visit the website for more information and to register. Hotel block is here.

Find a PDF version of the flyer here.

Federal Court Accepts Cherokee Nation’s Voluntary Dismissal of Tribal Court Opioid Case

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in McKesson Corp. v. Hembree (N.D. Okla.):

139 Hembree Motion to Dismiss

141 Opposition

145 Reply

146 DCT Order

Prior post here.

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Suquamish Tribe, and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Sue Opioid Pushers

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the complaint in Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe v. Purdue Pharma LP (W.D. Wash.):

180305 – WD Wash Tribal Opioid Complaint (Final)

Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians Sues Pharmaceutical Companies [complaint now included]

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here is the complaint in Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians v. McKesson Corp. (Cal. Super.):

coyote valley v. mckesson complaint – conformed copy

Federal Court Enjoins Cherokee Nation Tribal Court Suit against Opioid Companies

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the order in McKesson Corp. v. Hembree (N.D. Okla.):

138 DCT Order

An excerpt:

Oklahoma is among the states with the highest number of opioid prescriptions per one hundred people and has a high overdose death rate. Tribal communities have been tragically affected, as have other communities in Oklahoma. Numerous cities, counties and states throughout the country, including the state of Oklahoma, have filed lawsuits against various opioid manufactures, pharmaceutical distributors, and other businesses allegedly responsible for the proliferation of opioid drugs. This proceeding concerns a lawsuit by the Cherokee Nation against a number of opioid distributors and pharmacies. However, the question before the Court is not the merits of the Cherokee Nation’s lawsuit but rather the boundaries of tribal court jurisdiction. The Attorney General of the Cherokee Nation has filed suit not in state court but in the tribal district court of the Cherokee Nation. Do the tribal courts of the Cherokee Nation have jurisdiction over this particular action? The Court finds they do not.

Briefs here.