tribal sovereign immunity

Lac Du Flambeau Ojibwe Cert Petition in Bankruptcy Act/Sovereign Immunity Case

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the petition in Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Coughlin:

ldf-cert-petitionDownload

Question presented:

Whether the Bankruptcy Code expresses unequivocally Congress’s intent to abrogate the sovereign immunity of Indian tribes.

Lower court materials here.

Update:

Law Profs Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Org Amicus Brief.pdfDownload
Coughlin BIO.pdfDownload

Cert Stage Materials in Lopez v. Quaempts

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

Petition for Writ of Certiorari.pdfDownload
Brief in Opposition.pdfDownload

Questions presented:

  1. Whether this Court, to allow for more complete state court tort remedies against individual tribal employees, as indicated in Lewis v. Clarke, 137 S. Ct. 1285 (2017), should clarify existing tribal sovereign immunity law to allow tort vic- tims to sue a tribe based on vicarious lia- bility when a tribe ratifies individual tribal employees’ actions giving rise to the state tort claims.
  2. Whether the lower court’s refusal to rec- ognize a tribe’s ratification of tribal em- ployees’ allegedly tortious acts, as an express waiver of sovereign immunity im- permissibly interferes with states’ rights to award remedies to tort victims.

Lower court materials here.

Goony

Michigan Federal Court Dismisses Sault Tribe Casinos’ Effort to Block State Court Contract Claims Initiated by Casino Development Corp.

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Kewadin Casinos Gaming Authority v. Draganchuk (W.D. Mich.):

21 JLLJ Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
23 Draganchuk Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
31 Kewadin Opposition.pdfDownload
33 JLLJ Reply.pdfDownload
34 Draganchuk Reply.pdfDownload
39 Kewadin Motion to Amend.pdfDownload
65 DCT Order.pdfDownload
After an ugly loss like this (it’s never good when the judge says you “blatantly misstate[d]” the law), maybe it’s time for a Fat Bastard burger from the Wicked Sister in the Sault. (It’s an unsolicited, unpaid ad — I just love this description. . . .)

Prior post here.

Materials on Kewadin’s failed effort to remove the state court claims to federal court here.

Law360 piece on state court sanctions issued against the tribe.

Idaho DCT Dismisses Suit Preventing CdA Tribe from Evicting Lumber Company

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the order in Stimson Lumber Co. v. Coeur d’Alene Tribe (D. Idaho):

46 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Prior post here.

Washington COA Rejects Nooksack Disenrollees’ Tort Claims arising from Eviction

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Rabang v. Gilliland:

834568 Appellant ‘s.PDFDownload
834568 Respondent Chief Judge Raymond G. Dodge, Jr.’s.PDFDownload
834568 Appellant ‘s Reply.PDFDownload
Opinion.pdfDownload

California Federal Court Rebuffs Coyote Valley Effort to Stop State Court Contract Dispute

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the updated materials in Coyote Band of Pomo Indians v. Findleton (N.D. Cal.):

61 Tribe Response to Motions to Dismiss.pdfDownload
62 Findleton Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
63 State Judge Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
64 Bank Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
80 Findleton Request for Judicial Notice of State Ct Sanctions Order.pdfDownload
81 Tribe Objection to Motion for Judicial Notice.pdfDownload
88 Tribe 3rd Request for TRO.pdfDownload
89 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Prior post here.

Ninth Circuit Orders Chickasaw Nation to Arbitration with Pharmacy Benefits Manager

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the opinion in Caremark LLC v. Chickasaw Nation.

Briefs:

Opening Brief.pdfDownload
Answer Brief.pdfDownload
US Chamber of Commerce Amicus Brief.PDFDownload
Washington Legal Foundation Amicus Brief.PDFDownload
Reply.pdfDownload

Lower court materials here.

Connecticut Court Dismiss Contract Suit against Mohegan Tribe

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Drabik v. Thomas (Conn. Super.):

Complaint.pdfDownload
Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
Tribal Court Materials.pdfDownload
Opposition.pdfDownload
Reply.pdfDownload
Superior Court Order.pdfDownload

Idaho Federal Court Enjoins Coeur d’Alene Tribe from Evicting Lumber Company

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials so far in Stimson Lumber Co. v. Coeur d’Alene Tribe (D. Idaho):

1 Complaint.pdfDownload
8 DCT Order Denying TRO.pdfDownload
25 Opposition to Motion for Injunction.pdfDownload
26 Amended Complaint.pdfDownload

Skitswish family, the Wildshoes pose in their Chalmers convertible, Idaho, 1910
27 Reply in Support of Injunction.pdfDownload
35-1 CdA Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
38 Opposition.pdfDownload
40 Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
44 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Alabama Federal Court Dismisses Civil Claims against Defense Contractor Owned by Eastern Band Cherokee

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Aquate II v. Myers (N.D. Ala.):

1 Complaint.pdfDownload
18 Motion to Dismiss.pdfDownload
27 Opposition.pdfDownload
31 Reply.pdfDownload
39 DCT Order.pdfDownload