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Native American
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April 04, 2024
Great Lakes Fishing Pact Tramples Treaty Rights, Tribe Says
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is asking the Sixth Circuit to undo a Great Lakes fishing decree between it and four other tribes and the state of Michigan, arguing the decree was entered without its consent and imposes upon its treaty rights.
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April 03, 2024
Calif. Tribe Sues DOI Over Tribal Ancestry Procedure
A California Native American tribe has accused the U.S. Department of the Interior of using an unconstitutional and unregulated race-based procedure for determining tribal ancestry in a new lawsuit in D.C. federal court.
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April 03, 2024
Roadless Rule Doesn't Suit The Tongass, Alaska, Allies Argue
The state of Alaska, electric utilities, and a coalition of towns, mining and business groups, as well as a former Last Frontier governor, are all urging a federal judge to overturn the Biden administration's decision to reinstate roadless area protections for millions of acres of the Tongass National Forest.
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April 03, 2024
SD Gov. Noem Asks Tribes To 'Banish' Mexican Drug Cartels
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has called on Native American tribes throughout the state to "banish" Mexican drug operators from tribal lands, saying that Indian reservations serve as ideal areas where cartels can set up their illicit operations.
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April 03, 2024
Gov't Says Alaska Gold Mine Approvals Should Stand
The U.S. government is defending its approvals for a large open-pit gold mine along the Kuskokwim River in southwest Alaska, telling a federal judge a half dozen tribes challenging them fail to show that agencies did not take the required "hard look" at project impacts.
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April 03, 2024
Native Group's Battle With Commanders Unfit For N. Dakota
A Native American advocacy group's defamation and conspiracy suit against the Washington Commanders has been booted from North Dakota federal court after a judge ruled the franchise's ties to the state were "incidental."
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April 02, 2024
Alaska Judge Tosses Opioid Nuisance Case Against Pharmacies
Retail pharmacies including Walgreens Co. and Walmart Inc. have escaped a suit brought by Alaska in state court over their role in the opioid epidemic after a judge found the state's public nuisance claims were a "bridge too far."
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April 02, 2024
Casino Outfits Say High Court Must Review Tribal Betting Suit
The U.S. Supreme Court is the correct venue for a case by two casino operators that seek to undo a tribal gaming compact in Florida now that the state's Supreme Court has refused to take up the case, one of the companies has told the nation's highest court.
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April 02, 2024
Okla. High Court Denies Gov.'s Veto Suit Over Tribal Compacts
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday denied Gov. Kevin Stitt's suit against state lawmakers over two veto overrides on tribal tobacco and motor vehicle compacts, saying the executive branch doesn't have exclusive authority to negotiate state-tribal compacts.
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April 01, 2024
Forest Service Must Revisit Changes To Timber Standards
An Oregon federal judge has agreed to set aside an environmental analysis for timber standard changes the U.S. Forest Service approved for millions of acres of federal land across eastern Oregon and Washington, finding no errors in a magistrate judge's conclusion that the agency violated multiple federal statutes.
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April 01, 2024
Feds Catch Win In Alaska Subsistence Fishing Dispute
A federal judge has granted the U.S. government's bid for an early win in its challenge against Alaska over subsistence fishing rules in the Kuskokwim River, which runs through the state's southwest region, ruling that the United States is entitled to a permanent injunction.
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April 01, 2024
Tribe, Allies Defend Standing To Fight Corps' Fish Farm Permit
The Army Corps of Engineers is trying to "muddy the water" to fend off a challenge to a nationwide permit opening ocean waters to aquaculture operations, failing to justify why the permit shouldn't be scrapped, the Quinault Indian Nation and nonprofit allies have told a Washington federal judge.
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April 01, 2024
BNSF Says Tribe Can't Claim $1.3B For Oil Train Trespassings
BNSF Railway Co. has asserted a Washington tribe is not entitled to $1.3 billion for the shipping of crude oil across its reservation for nearly a decade, arguing the tribe wants to strip railroad profits from a 1,500-mile route when the illegal trespassing occurred across an easement less than a mile long.
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April 01, 2024
SunZia Power Line Challenge Is Ripe, Arizona Tribes Say
A coalition of Arizona tribes and conservation groups challenging the federal government's green light for SunZia Transmission LLC to start building a stretch of its 550-mile, high-voltage power line are defending the timeliness of their bid to halt work and compel the Bureau of Land Management to identify and safeguard cultural sites and sacred areas in the San Pedro Valley.
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April 01, 2024
High Court Won't Hear Mass. Residents' Tribal Land Dispute
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied a petition by a group of Massachusetts residents seeking to reverse a ruling that allowed the Department of the Interior to take 321 acres into trust for the development of a billion-dollar tribal hotel and casino.
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March 29, 2024
Rural Carriers Worry FCC Broadband Maps 'Vastly' Inaccurate
Rural wireless carriers are concerned Federal Communications Commission maps do not accurately depict where mobile broadband service is available, putting federal support funds at risk.
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March 29, 2024
Bill Would Ease Native American Travel Across Canadian Border
A bipartisan bill recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would simplify the process for indigenous community members to cross the U.S.-Canadian border by eliminating a blood quantum requirement and allowing them to use tribal-issued identification as proof of membership in a federally recognized tribe.
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March 29, 2024
NTIA Issues $811M In State Digital Equity Funding
The Biden administration is releasing the allocation of the first $811 million of the $1.25 billion in digital equity funding it plans on providing states, territories and tribes to ensure everyone within their borders has the ability and skill to access all the internet has to offer.
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March 29, 2024
Tribes Lose Challenge To Minnesota Water Quality Regs
A Minnesota federal judge on Friday shot down a suit by two Native American tribes accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of allowing the state to adopt less protective water quality standards that could harm their reservations' wildlife and crops.
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March 29, 2024
No Need To Revisit 'Cultural Resource' Ruling, Teck Argues
A Teck Resources unit is urging a Washington federal judge to reject the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation's request to reconsider an order dismissing its claims for so-called tribal service losses stemming from a smelter's Columbia River pollution, saying the tribe erroneously argues limitations on natural resource damages don't apply to tribes.
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March 29, 2024
Texas Farmers Sue USDA Over Sex, Race Disaster Aid Priorities
A group of Texas farmers is asking a federal district judge to declare the U.S. Department of Agriculture's disaster assistance and pandemic relief programs unconstitutional, alleging in a complaint Friday that the government distributes the aid based on sex and race in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.
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March 29, 2024
Red States Say Court Must Lift LNG Export Review Pause
A group of 16 Republican-led states has urged a Louisiana federal judge to immediately lift the U.S. Department of Energy's pause on reviewing applications to export liquefied natural gas to non-free trade agreement countries, saying it's clearly unlawful and exceeds the department's authority.
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March 29, 2024
Feds, Energy Cos. Clash Over Osage Wind Farm Damages Trial
The U.S. government and Enel Green Power North America Inc. are both pushing to shape a damages trial set for May after a federal judge ordered the ejectment of more than 80 wind turbines the companies installed on Osage Nation land in Oklahoma without required mineral leases.
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March 28, 2024
Montana High Court Says Laws Hinder Native Voting Rights
The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down four state laws that challengers claimed hindered Native Americans and students from participating in the state's election process, affirming a lower court's ruling that the 2021 legislation violated fundamental voting rights.
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March 28, 2024
Kauai Groups, Hawaii Settle Suit Over Hydro Project Review
Two West Kauai community groups say they've reached an agreement with the state of Hawaii and a utility to settle their suit over the environmental review for a hydroelectric development that threatened to divert large amounts of water from the Waimea River watershed.
Expert Analysis
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Bid Protest Spotlight: Supplementation, Conversion, Rejection
In this month's bid protest roundup, Lyle Hedgecock and Michaela Thornton at MoFo discuss recent cases highlighting how the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims consider supplementation of the record and an agency’s attempt to convert a sealed bid opportunity into a negotiated procurement, as well as an example of precedential drift.
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Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success
Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.
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Series
Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.
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Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument
Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.
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Perspectives
6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice
An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.
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Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga
Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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Series
Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer
After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.
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Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?
Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.
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The 5 Most Important Bid Protest Decisions Of 2023
Attorneys at Bradley Arant discuss noteworthy 2023 bid protest decisions from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and U.S. Government Accountability Office, offering perspectives on standing, document production, agency deference, System for Award Management registration requirements and mentor-protégé joint venture proposal evaluations.
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7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond
The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.
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How DOI Aims To Modernize Resource Damage Assessments
The U.S. Department of the Interior's recent proposal to redesign its Type A rule for conducting natural resource damage assessment and restoration activities could lead to a more streamlined, flexible assessment process that would benefit both natural resource trustees and potentially responsible parties, says Brian Ferrasci-O'Malley at Nossaman.
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5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024
Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.
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Growing Green Tech Demand Spells Trouble For Groundwater
Increasing demand for green technology is depleting the groundwater reserves used to extract and process the necessary minerals, making a fundamental shift toward more sustainable water use practices necessary at both the state and federal levels, says Sarah Mangelsdorf at Goldberg Segalla.
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Cannabis Banking Bill Uncertainty May Actually Be A Blessing
The passage of a cannabis banking law is alluring, but little will be lost if the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act — facing stiff competition from other congressional priorities — gets tabled because the bill ultimately does little to meaningfully propel the industry toward full legalization, says Michael Rosenblum at Thompson Coburn.
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4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year
As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.