Native American

  • September 04, 2025

    Trump's Wind Project Halt Faces Suits From Conn., RI, Ørsted

    The decision by President Donald Trump's administration to stop a nearly completed wind project slated to power the New England region was met with two lawsuits on Thursday, with the attorneys general of Connecticut and Rhode Island and developer Ørsted seeking to resume construction.

  • September 04, 2025

    2nd Circ. Says Prison Violated Tribal Rights Of Two Inmates

    Two Native American inmates can pursue their First Amendment claims against Connecticut prison officials after they were barred from participating in sweat lodge and smudging ceremonies, the Second Circuit determined, saying there was no penological justification for the request denials.

  • September 03, 2025

    DOI Casino Approval Overturned For Ignoring Tribal Input

    The U.S. Department of the Interior went beyond its authority and failed to properly consult with another local tribe when it approved the Koi Nation's plan to build a casino on newly acquired trust land, a California federal judge has ruled.

  • September 03, 2025

    Enviro Groups Urge 11th Circ. To Keep Detention Center Shut

    Seven environmental groups filed an amicus brief Tuesday in the appeal of an order shutting down an Everglades immigration detention center, arguing that the district court was right to enjoin the center because the federal government failed to fulfill its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act.

  • September 03, 2025

    9th Circ. Upholds Ruling Against Wash. Tribe's Fishing Claims

    A Ninth Circuit panel Wednesday affirmed a lower court's ruling that determined a Washington tribe fell short of its evidentiary burden to establish that a 19th century treaty included its customary fishing grounds near the Puget Sound after vacating the dispute for further review last year.

  • September 03, 2025

    9th Circ. Saves Tribes' Cultural Superfund Claims Against Teck

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday revived the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation's natural resource damages claims against Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. for the company's alleged pollution of the Columbia River.

  • September 03, 2025

    Wash. Court Pressed To Immediately End EV Funding Freeze

    Clean energy advocates have urged a Washington federal judge to wipe out the Trump administration's decision to freeze funding for new electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, saying the government can't be allowed to drag its feet on a pledge to restore funding.

  • September 03, 2025

    ND Tribes Ask Supreme Court To Protect Voting Rights Act

    Two North Dakota tribes are asking the Supreme Court to undo an Eighth Circuit decision that prohibits lawsuits against states for violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, arguing that if not overturned, the ruling would kneecap the main federal protection against racial discrimination in voting.

  • September 03, 2025

    Calif. Senate Panel OKs Property Tax Break For Tribes

    Native American tribes in California would be eligible for open space exemptions to property taxes under legislation approved by a state Senate panel that's heading for a final vote.

  • September 02, 2025

    DC Circ. Says EPA Can Freeze Climate Grant Funds

    A D.C. Circuit panel vacated an injunction on Tuesday ordering Citibank to relinquish grant funding frozen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, finding green groups are not likely to succeed on the merits of their "essentially contractual" claims.

  • September 02, 2025

    GAO Report Says FEMA Funding Should Go Directly To Tribes

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office on Tuesday urged Congress to provide direct Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to Native American tribes hit by tornadoes, reporting that 17 states in a recent 10-year period did not distribute any FEMA awards to tribes.

  • September 02, 2025

    Okla. Tribe Launches Campaign Against 'Secret' Rights Attack

    The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma said it has kicked off a campaign to oppose "secret" legislative language by a U.S. senator seeking to terminate rights to trust land and economic development that the tribe shares with the Cherokee Nation.

  • August 29, 2025

    NY Tribe Wants Smoke Shop Sanctioned For Flaking On Records

    Two smoke shop operators will be slapped with sanctions unless they come up with good reasons for why they disregarded a New York federal court order requiring them to turn over cannabis sales records to the Cayuga Nation in their legal battle with the tribe.

  • August 29, 2025

    DC Circ. Backs Biden Gulf Drilling Plan Amid Trump Revamp

    The D.C. Circuit rejected environmental groups' bid to scale back the U.S. Department of the Interior's 2024-2029 offshore oil and gas leasing program, finding the plan satisfied all legal requirements.

  • August 29, 2025

    Former National Security Officials Say Union EO Went Too Far

    Although President Donald Trump said he was protecting national security when he opened the door for dozens of agencies to shred their union contracts, he was actually retaliating against the unions for speaking out against him, a coalition of former senior national security officials told the Ninth Circuit on Friday.

  • August 29, 2025

    Tribe Says Okla. City Can't Avoid Sovereignty Suit

    The Muscogee (Creek) Nation told an Oklahoma federal court to reject a local city's bid to dismiss the Indian nation's suit accusing the city of violating the nation's sovereignty by prosecuting Indians for crimes committed within the nation's territory.

  • August 29, 2025

    High Court Urged To Uphold Wash. Gaming Compact Order

    Washington state, an Indigenous nation and the federal government are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to deny a gaming operator's bid to undo a Ninth Circuit ruling over tribal compacts, saying the petition mischaracterizes the decision and argues for certiorari based on the strawman it creates.

  • August 29, 2025

    Creek Nation Halts Citizenship Cards After Freedmen Ruling

    The Muscogee (Creek) Nation's Citizenship Board must pause the issuance of any enrollment cards to descendants of those once enslaved by the tribe, Principal Chief David Hill said in an executive order, arguing he must uphold its constitution until the requirements of a recent high court ruling can be reviewed.

  • August 29, 2025

    States Say White House Caved In AmeriCorps Cut Fight

    A coalition consisting of Maryland, two dozen other states and D.C. that is challenging the Trump administration's attempts to slash AmeriCorps programs and withhold funds announced Friday the White House has chosen to release nearly $185 million as it faced "a blistering legal defeat."

  • August 28, 2025

    10th Circ. Told Okla. 'Race Theory' Law Must Go

    The Tenth Circuit is being told it must ensure academic freedom for the students of Oklahoma, whose constitutional rights and "the very nature of the classroom as a place that nurtures inquiry and discussion" are being undermined by a state law restricting what they can be taught.

  • August 28, 2025

    9th Circ. Rules BLM Can Implement Oregon Logging Plan

    Officials at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sufficiently vetted an Oregon logging project that conservationists claim will harm threatened wildlife, a Ninth Circuit panel has ruled, concluding the project does not violate earlier plans to protect coastal forest habitats.

  • August 28, 2025

    Unions Urge Judgment Blocking DOGE's Agency Access

    Unions and advocacy groups asked a Washington, D.C., federal judge Thursday for a win before trial in their lawsuit claiming agencies unlawfully provided Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency access to sensitive data, saying the agencies departed from their usual data access procedures without explanation.

  • August 28, 2025

    Court Blocks Bid To Keep Everglades Detention Center Open

    A Florida federal judge denied a bid to halt a preliminary injunction requiring the government to cease operations at an Everglades immigration detention center, ruling no new evidence was shown that its detainees are dangerous or why a facility must be placed in that particular location. 

  • August 28, 2025

    Arkansas Court Dismisses Cherokee Casino License Claims

    An Arkansas judge Thursday dismissed a challenge by Cherokee Nation entities over a gaming license in the state, saying the voter amendment that revoked it did not impair any of their contractual obligations and precedent forecloses on any damage claims.

  • August 28, 2025

    Tribal Members Seek 5th Circ. Redo In San Antonio Park Row

    Two members of a Native American church are asking the Fifth Circuit to rehear its appeal, which looks to block the restoration of a San Antonio park, saying that if left uncorrected, the opinion will leave religious believers vulnerable and sow confusion among district courts.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At Sweepstakes Casinos' Legal Issues In Fla., Beyond

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    Scheduled for trial in Florida federal court this fall, the VGW sweepstakes case underscores the growing urgency for gambling states to clarify and enforce their laws in response to emerging online gaming models, as the expansion of sweepstakes casinos challenges traditional interpretations of gambling regulations, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

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    Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2025 And Beyond

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    In the year to come, e-discovery will be shaped by new and emerging trends, from the adoption of artificial intelligence provisions in protective orders, to the proliferation of emojis as a source of evidence in contemporary litigation, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Justices Seem Focused On NEPA's Limits In Utah Rail Case

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    After last month's oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, the court appears poised to forcefully reiterate that the National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to review only those environmental impacts within their control, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Consultants Should Be Aware Of DOJ's Potential New Reach

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent first-of-its-kind settlement with McKinsey & Co. indicates not only the DOJ's more aggressive stance toward businesses' potential criminal wrongdoings, but also the benefits of self-disclosure and cooperation when wrongdoing becomes apparent, says Dom Caamano at Kibler Fowler.

  • 5th Circ.'s Nasdaq Ruling Another Piece In DEI Policy Puzzle

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    The Fifth Circuit's recent en banc opinion vacating Nasdaq's board diversity listing rule wades into the hotly debated topic of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at a time when many public companies are navigating the attention that DEI commitments are drawing from activists and shareholders, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • Series

    Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.

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