Monday, June 18, 2012

Supreme Court Rules 8-1 Suit Against Gun Lake Tribal Casino Can Go Foreward

Another Crack in the Sovereignty Dam?

The Supreme Court won't stop a lawsuit seeking to shut down a Native American casino in Michigan.


The high court on Monday upheld a lower court decision that would allow casino foe David Patchak to sue to shut the casino down.

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, also known as the Gun Lake Tribe, opened a casino in Wayland Township, 20 miles south of Grand Rapids. Patchak challenged how the government placed the land in trust for the tribe, saying that the move was illegal because the tribe had not been recognized by the government in 1934 when the Indian Reorganization Act was passed.

A federal judge dismissed his lawsuit but the high court in an 8-1 ruling decided it could move forward. Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the only dissent

4 comments:

Erick Rhoan said...

This is more fallout from the Carcieri decision. Until that case is abrogated legislatively, stuff like this is going to keep repeating.

Anonymous said...

Your a wise man Eric!
You know Indian law.

smokeybear said...

See, Erick, you know more "Indian Law" then you thought you did. And your getting better at it. It's because you have the ability to know were to look this stuff up, and we "Appreciate It, Thank You."
...."Eagle Eyes."

Anonymous said...

An 8-1 decision is huge