Indian Law Bulletins Updated 3/11/2026

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin

One petition for certiorari was filed 3/3/26:

• United States v. Hopson (25-1039) (Major Crimes Act (MCA))

Federal Courts Bulletin

• Farrer v. Cornpeach (civil jurisdiction; law enforcement jurisdiction)
• Torongo, et al. v. United States Department of Interior, Secretary of, et al. (Antiquities Act; cultural property)

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• S.3994 - A bill to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to authorize Tribal meat inspection under that Act by Tribal personnel, and for other purposes.
• S.4014 - A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Nisqually Indian Tribe the Clear Creek Hatchery infrastructure, and for other purposes.
• H.Res.1089 - Expressing support for the designation of February 2026 as "Hawaiian Language Month" or "'Olelo Hawai'i Month".

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Amendment of Notice of Funds Availability for Native American CDFI Assistance Program; Revised Application Submission Deadline (Treasury)
• Notice of Deadline for Submitting Completed Requests To Begin Participation in the Tribal Self-Governance Program in Fiscal Year 2027 or Calendar Year 2027 (Interior)
• Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2026 Pacific Whiting Harvest Specifications, 2026 Tribal Allocation, and 2026 Incidental Set-Aside (Commerce)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Filling the Tribal court attorney need through Tribes licensing their own attorneys.
• Fractionation by design: Remedy without repair in Indigenous-owned trust allotments.
• "In keeping with the constitution's original design": History and tradition in federal Indian law.
• Indigenous water governance and the Clean Water Act.
• A seat at the table: How Texas v. New Mexico provides Tribes a potential route to assert outstanding water rights claims in water compact disputes.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Michigan Supreme Court to hear Line 5 cases
• Seattle spent years misleading the public about Skagit River salmon. Now it will pay $1 billion for fish passage
• Chuckwalla National Monument’s defenders rally to save it
• Utah lawmakers ask Congress to undo Grand Staircase-Escalante management plan
• How Montana Tribes are using sovereignty to restore their waterways

Announcements

• The Native American Rights Fund is hiring a Staff Attorney in the Alaska office. Learn more about the vacancy on our website.

Indian Law Bulletins Updated 3/4/2026

Federal Courts Bulletin

• United States v. Wilkinson (criminal jurisdiction; Tribal consultation)
• National Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, et al. (resource management - water rights; fishing rights)
• Osage Nation v. Wood, et al. (taxation - McGirt v. Oklahoma)
• United States v. Brice, et al. (federal criminal jurisdiction)
• Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation v. Enbridge Energy Company, Inc. and Enbridge Energy, L.P. (resource management; Tribal property - trespass)
• Mathias v. Baldwin (Tribal jurisdiction; custodial agreements)

Tribal Courts Bulletin

• Fort Peck Tribes v. Jennifer Jones (Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA); Tribal law)
• Fort Peck Tribes v. Douglas Grandchamp (Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA); Tribal law)
• Fort Peck Tribes v. Holly Toavs (Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA); Tribal law)
• Fort Peck Tribes v. Harold Ralph Hamilton (Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA); Tribal law)

State Courts Bulletin

• Matter of K.S. (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• S.3945 - A bill to ensure that Federal laws that enable Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to access firearms apply equally to Tribal law enforcement agencies.
• S.3946 - A bill to allow members of federally recognized Tribes to use their Tribal government identification documents in obtaining a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
• H.R.7698 - To allow members of federally recognized Tribes to use their Tribal government identification documents in obtaining a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
• H.R.7699 - To ensure that Federal laws that enable Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to access firearms apply equally to Tribal law enforcement agencies.
• H.R.7705 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat Indian Tribal Governments in the same manner as State governments for certain Federal tax purposes, and for other purposes.
• H.R.7710 - To amend title 10, United States Code, to include Indian tribes in the defense community infrastructure program, and for other purposes.
• H.R.7781 - To provide that employees of tribally controlled schools are eligible to receive a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System and to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.
• S.Res.625 - A resolution designating February 2026 as "Hawaiian Language Month" or "Olelo Hawai'i Month".

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• New Mexico and Oklahoma Statewide Tribal Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit Proposal (EPA)
• Proposed Information Collection Activity; Next Steps for Tribal TANF Research and Data (New Collection) (HHS)
• Alaska Native Claims Selection (Interior)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Breaking the cycle: New ideas to solve old problems in Colorado River Tribal water access.
• Correcting Nevada v. Hicks: Recognizing Tribal courts as courts of general subject-matter jurisdiction.
• An equitable high: Indigenous People must have a seat at the table for the future business of psychedelics, how affirmative patent rights can ensure Indigenous inclusion.
• Healing East Hawai‘i: The broken promise of Act 117 and the transformative potential of the pu‘uhonua.
• Indians and citizenship: Territorial birth & parental status in contemporaneous caselaw.
• Reproducing citizenship.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Interior Department fights to dismiss Oklahoma Tribe's Indian boarding school lawsuit
• Trump fast-tracked permitting a Utah uranium mine in record 11 days. Tribes call it a rubber stamp
• Judge orders protective measures for Columbia River salmon after Trump canceled historic deal
• Fort Belknap sues U.S. government over Tribal law enforcement funding
• Tribal voting advocates cite harms in federal election bill

Announcements

• The Native American Rights Fund is hiring a Staff Attorney in the Alaska office. Learn more about the vacancy on our website.

Indian Law Bulletins Updated 2/25/2026

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin

One petition for certiorari was filed 2/17/26:

• Flying T Ranch, Inc. v. Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians (25-987) (Tribal sovereign immunity)

Two petitions for certiorari were denied 2/23/26:

• Flintco LLC v Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (25-764) (Federal Arbitration Act (FAA))
• Martorello v. Williams (25-829) (Tribal sovereign lending)

Federal Courts Bulletin

• Black Bear v. Wickre, et al. (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

State Courts Bulletin

• Town of Bear Creek v. Cannabis Regulatory Agency (Tribal jurisdiction)

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• H.R.7627 - To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to include Indian Tribes in certain provisions relating to priority resource concerns.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Indian Energy Service Center; Receipt of Tribal Energy Resource Agreement for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado (Interior)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Disinterment under NAGPRA: Justice for Native American boarding school children.
• Ensuring sovereignty in healthcare: A comparison of Tribal healthcare compacts and Medicaid.
• Let them be Tribal members: Exempting nonmember resident Indians from state taxes.
• Rule 19 and Tribal representation in Indian gaming litigation.
• Tribal sovereignty, sales tax, and states interference: Why tax compacts may be the best way forward.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Oklahoma representative Tom Cole leading bipartisan push to uncover state’s Indian boarding schools history
• Inside the fight to save Texas’ Native American studies course
• The Supreme Court hears a Line 5 oil pipeline case with high stakes for treaty rights
• U.S. report reveals more than 800 employees left Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2025
• Bill would give federal marshals authority to help Tribes find missing children

Announcements

• The Native American Rights Fund is hiring a Staff Attorney in the Alaska office. Learn more about the vacancy on our website.