Tenth Circuit Rejects Muscogee Challenge to HUD’s Demand for Investment Proceeds

Here is the opinion.

Briefs and link to lower court materials here.

Tenth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Northern Arapaho Tribe Tax Case for Failure to Join Eastern Shoshone Tribe

Here is today’s opinion in Northern Arapaho Tribe v. Harnsberger.

Briefs here.

Lower court materials here.

Tenth Circuit Vacates Criminal Sentence of Two Navajo Members and Remands for Resentencing

Here is the opinion in United States v. Joe.

An excerpt:

We therefore hold that the district court erred when it enhanced Defendants’ offense levels for physical restraint of the victim as well as enhancing for the use of force against her. The government, which has the burden of proof of showing harmlessness, see United States v. Kieffer, 681 F.3d 1143, 1169 (10th Cir. 2012), has not argued that this error was harmless. Our cases lead us to the conclusion that it was not. If the government had argued that this error was harmless, no doubt that argument would have been centered on the fact that the district judge varied downward from the incorrectly calculated guidelines range to reach the sentence that he concluded was most appropriate in view of all of the factors listed in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). We have, however, emphasized the importance of the guideline range as the starting point in the process. See, e.g., Kieffer, 681 F.3d at 1170. We said there that “where the beginning point for a sentencing court’s analysis of the § 3553(a) factors is measurably wrong, the ending point usually will result from an incorrect application of the Guidelines.” Id. (emphasis in original). The government has not argued that the error is harmless, and we believe that the error is not obviously harmless. As explained herein, we remand for resentencing in both of these appeals.

Opening Brief in Encana Oil & Gas v. St. Clair (Wind River Tribal Court Jurisdiction)

Here:

Encana Opening Brief

Lower court materials here.

Tenth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Title VII Claims against Tribal Corporation

Here is today’s opinion in Somerlott v. Cherokee Nation Distributors. Judge Gorsuch’s concurring opinion (starting at page 21) is a worthy read for tribal leaders and tribal counsel thinking about doing business outside of Indian country.

Briefs are here.

Excerpt here:

Tina Marie Somerlott appeals from the district court’s dismissal of her claims against CND, LLC (“CND”) for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). Somerlott brought federal employment discrimination claims against CND, alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. After allowing  discovery by both parties, the district court concluded CND was immune from suit under the doctrine of tribal sovereign immunity and, therefore, dismissed Somerlott’s complaint in its entirety. Exercising jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291,
this court affirms.

Tenth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of FTCA Claim; Analyzes Navajo Tort Law

Here are the materials in Harvey v. United States:

CA10 Opinion

Harvey Opening Brief

USA Appellee Brief

Harvey Reply Brief

Tenth Circuit Rejects Challenge to Highway Project at Haskell Indian School

Here are the materials in Prairie Band Pottawatomi Nation v. Federal Highway Administration:

CA10 Opinion

Prairie Band Opening Brief

Kansas Dept. of Transportation Brief

Federal Appellees Brief

Prairie Band Reply Brief

Here are the lower court materials.

Tenth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Suit against Kiowa Court of Indian Offenses

The plaintiff wanted the CIO to enjoin his state court prosecution for violation of anti-cockfighting statutes. Here are the materials in Turner v. McGee:

Turner Opening Brief

CIO Motion to Dismiss

Turner Reply

And the briefs after the CA10 appointed counsel for Turner:

Turner Supplemental Brief

CIO Supplemental Brief

And the Tenth Circuit’s opinion.

A related cockfighting case out of the Tenth Circuit, United States v. Langford, holding federal courts had no jurisdiction.

Tenth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Demand to Elections of Governing Body of Osage Mineral Estate

Here are the materials in Jech v. Dept. of Interior:

Jech Opening Brief

Interior Answer Brief

Jech Reply

Tenth Circuit unpublished opinion

Complete Tenth Circuit Briefing in Somerlott v. Cherokee Nation Distributors (Including Supplemental Briefs)

Here:

Somerlott Brief

Cherokee Nation Distr Brief

Somerlott Reply Brief

CA10 Order to File Supplemental Briefs

Somerlott Supplemental Brief

CND Supplemental Brief

The Tenth Circuit panel requested supplemental briefing after oral argument to address this issue:

This court has previously acknowledged that “[t]ribal sovereign immunity is deemed to be coextensive with the sovereign immunity of the United States.” Miner Elec., Inc. v. Muscogee (Creek) Nation, 505 F.3d 1007, 1011 (10th Cir.
2007) (citation omitted). Regarding the sovereign immunity of the United States, other circuits have held that where the United States is the sole shareholder of an entity incorporated under state law, the United States’ sovereign immunity does not extend to the entity. See Panama R. Co. v. Curran, 256 F. 768, 771-72 (5th Cir. 1919) (quoting Bank of the United States v. Planters’ Bank of Georgia, 22 U.S. 904, 907–08 (1824)); Salas v. United States, 234 F. 842, 844–45 (2d Cir.  1916). The parties are therefore directed to submit supplemental briefs regarding the following issues:

a) Does CND’s organization as a separate legal entity under Oklahoma’s Limited Liability Company Act preclude it from sharing in the Cherokee Nation’s sovereign immunity?

Lower court materials here.