Supreme Court

Native America Calling Show Today — The Fate of ICWA

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Each side presented their oral arguments Wednesday to the U.S. Supreme Court for the most serious challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act in recent memory. The decision in Haaland v. Brackeen will be a major force in the future of ICWA and the scope of tribal sovereignty. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruceanalyzes the legal debate from a Native perspective with Matthew Fletcher (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians), law professor at the University of Michigan Law School and author of the Turtle Talk blog; independent journalist Suzette Brewer (citizen of the Cherokee Nation); and Dr. Sarah Kastelic (Alutiiq), director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association.

Prof. Fort on Morning Edition and Additional Brackeen Coverage

Kate Fort

Morning Edition

“ICWA doesn’t prevent an individualized assessment of the best placement for each child,” says Kathryn Fort, director of the Indian Law Clinic at Michigan State University. State courts do this type of assessment “every day,” she says, adding, “I personally don’t know a state court judge who would be comfortable being told that they weren’t allowed to do an individualized assessment.”

But for an Indian child, Fort says, that individualized assessment includes consideration of the child’s relationship with her relatives, her language, her religion, and her tribal tradition.

“A child isn’t separate from her tribe,” she adds. “That child is sacred to that tribe.”

Romper

WaPo (check out Fred Urbina’s picture!)

Vox

AP

The Guardian

Traverse City Record Eagle

Oral arguments in the case are tomorrow (11/9) at 10am. Live audio can be streamed here.

SCTOUS Grants United States and Arizona Petitions in Navajo Water Case

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here was yesterday’s order.

Prior post here.

Thinking if SCOTUS had some good frybread, they’d let Indian country have the nice things we deserve, like an enforceable duty of protection.

Four White Men to Argue Brackeen

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

It’s now been 21+ years since the last Indigenous person argued a Supreme Court; 39 tribal or individual Indian parties since that time.

SCOTUS Denies Cert in Oklahoma Indian Status Case

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is yesterday’s order list.

The Oklahoma case was Oklahoma v. Wadkins. Lower court materials here.

The Court also denied cert in the Clarkson case.

Slockish v. Dept. of Transportation Cert Petition

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

slockish-petitionDownload

Question presented:

Whether the Ninth Circuit’s mootness ruling warrants summary reversal where the panel clearly misapprehended governing law on mootness and on the authority of federal courts to order equitable relief affecting nonparties.

Lower court materials here.

Briefing Completed in Haaland v. Brackeen [ICWA]

Kate Fort

With the reply briefs filed yesterday, all of the briefing is completed in the Supreme Court case Haaland v. Brackeen. Oral argument will be at the Court on November 9th. There will be a decision before the end of June, 2023, though there’s no good way to determine when that will arrive other than that.