Rosebud Sioux Tribe

South Dakota Federal Court Dismisses Federal Gun Possession Indictment Relying on Rosebud’s D.V. Conviction

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the available materials in United States v. Peneaux (D.S.D.):

31 Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
38 DCT Order.pdfDownload

An excerpt from the order:

Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm by a person “who has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.” 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9). Defendant Hunter Peneaux pleaded guilty to domestic abuse in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court on three separate occasions. He was later indicted by a grand jury for violating § 922(g)(9). Peneaux now moves to dismiss the indictment, arguing that his tribal court convictions do not qualify as misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence because they did not have” as an element, the user attempted use of physical force.” 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(33)(A)(ii). Under the sometimes-frustrating analys is required by the Supreme Court, this Court must dismiss Peneaux’s indictment.

Order Denying Motion to Dismiss in Rosebud and Oglala National Voter Registration Act Lawsuit

Matthew Campbell

Here is the Order Denying South Dakota’s Motion to Dismiss Rosebud and Oglala’s Complaint that South Dakota is failing to comply with the National Voter Registration Act.

doc.-115-memorandom-and-order-denying-defs-motion-to-dismiss-rst-v-barnett0-2022.05.17-00234861x105fe6Download

Here is the Amended Complaint.

doc.-044-amended-complaint-2021.08.10-rosebud-00224240-2Download

Previous post on this issue here.

Dakota Access LLC v. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Cert Petition [Updated with additional cert stage briefs]

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

Cert Petition

Questions presented:

  1. Whether, under NEPA, an agency that carefully considers all criticisms of its environmental analysis must also “resolve” those criticisms to the court’s satisfaction to justify a finding of no significant impact; and
  2. Whether procedural error under NEPA per se warrants remand with vacatur.

Lower court materials here.

Update:

Federal BIO

Tribal BIO

Reply

Update in Standing Rock/Dakota Access Pipeline

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the new materials in Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. United States Army Corps of Engineers (D.D.C.):

569 Tribe Motion

573 Army Corps Opposition

586 Tribe Reply

607 DCT Order

Prior post here.

D.C. Circuit Affirms Order that DAPL Easement is Illegal, but Does Not Require Shutdown of Pipeline

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the opinion in Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. United States Army Corps of Engineers.

An excerpt:

Lake Oahe, created when the United States Army Corps of Engineers flooded thousands of acres of Sioux lands in the Dakotas by constructing the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River, provides several successor tribes of the Great Sioux Nation with water for drinking, industry, and sacred cultural practices. Passing beneath Lake Oahe’s waters, the Dakota Access Pipeline transports crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. Under the Mineral Leasing Act, 30 U.S.C. § 185, the pipeline could not traverse the federally owned land at the Oahe crossing site without an easement from the Corps. The question presented here is whether the Corps
violated the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4321, by issuing that easement without preparing an environmental impact statement despite substantial criticisms from the Tribes and, if so, what should be done about that failure. We agree with the district court that the Corps acted unlawfully, and we affirm the court’s order vacating the easement while the Corps prepares an environmental impact statement. But we reverse the court’s order to the extent it directed that the pipeline be shut down and emptied of oil.

Briefs here.

D.C. Circuit Materials in Standing Rock v. Army Corps

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the briefs in Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. United States Army Corps of Engineers:

Dakota Access Brief

Dakota Access Reply

Federal Brief

Federal Reply Brief

Members of Congress Amicus Brief

NIWRC Amicus Brief

North Dakota Brief

Standing Rock Brief

States Against DAPL Amicus Brief

States Supporting DAPL Amicus Brief

Tribal Orgs Amicus Brief

Oral argument audio here.

Lower court materials here.

Federal Court Invalidates Dakota Access Pipeline Permits

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the order in Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. United States Army Corps of Engineers (D.D.C.):

546 DCT Order

Related briefs:

507 US Brief

510 Dakota Access Brief

527 Tribal Plaintiffs Brief

531 Congressional Amicus Brief

532 Environmental Amicus Brief

533 Tribal Amicus Brief

536 US Reply

539 Dakota Access Reply

Prior post here.