Indian Law Bulletins Updated 2/11/2026

Federal Courts Bulletin

• Avoyelles Water Commission v. Ward 3 Avoyelles Waterworks District (Tribal jurisdiction - Tribal court removal)
• Cranford, II, et al. v. U. S. Department of the Interior, et al. (Tribal recognition; Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA))
• Meilstrup v. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, et al. (Tribal jurisdiction; Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA))
• Rockboy v. Charles Mix County, et al. (law enforcement jurisdiction)
• Vipond v. DeGroat, et al. (Tribal jurisdiction - Tribal court exhaustion)

Tribal Courts Bulletin

• Buggy v. Sault Tribe Housing Authority (Tribal law)

State Courts Bulletin

• State of Oklahoma v. Jason Martin Lile (jurisdiction; attorney discipline; conflict of interest)
• In the Matter of: S.A. and J.P., Youths in Need of Care (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• H.R.7396 - Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act / To establish an Office of Native American Affairs within the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.
• S.Res.601 - A resolution designating the week beginning February 2, 2026, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week".
• H.Res.1045 - Calling on the Secretary of Education to work with stakeholders to immediately eliminate race-based Native logos, mascots, and names from State educational institutions, and calling on State educational institutions and national sports franchises to cease the unsanctioned use of such logos, mascots, and names.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Receipt of Documented Petition for Federal Acknowledgment as an American Indian Tribe (Interior)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Applying the Indian Commerce Clause to Indian commerce.
• Indigenous nations and international law: Identifying, sources, and applying Indigenous international law.
• Indigenous theories of international law: Reimagining the legal frameworks through a decolonial lens.
• Native Nations, noncitizens, and the Supremacy Clause.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Gwich’in fight to protect caribou from Alaska oil development
• Oregon, Washington and Tribes head back to court after Trump pulls out of deal to recover salmon
• Washoe Tribe Completes historic 10,274-acre land return near Lake Tahoe
• Fixing one byzantine process would return reservation lands to Tribes and improve landscape health
• Feds greenlight $2B renewable energy project on Yakama Nation sacred site

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 2/4/2026

Federal Courts Bulletin

• Shinnecock Indian Nation v. Hochul, et al. (Tribal property)
• Chase, et al. v. Andeavor Logistics, L.P., et al. (Tribal property; Indian Right-of-Way Act (IRWA))
• Round Valley Indian Tribes, et al. v. Kendall, et al. (criminal jurisdiction; Tribal sovereignty)
• United States v. Ruiz (criminal jurisdiction; Indian status)

State Courts Bulletin

• State of Minnesota v. Thompson (jurisdiction; Public Law 280)
• K.J. v. S.A. (Tribal jurisdiction; Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))
• Matter of T.A.G. (Tribal jurisdiction; Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• S.3767 - A bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, and for other purposes.
• S.3769 - A bill to amend the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Act of 1989 to clarify that amounts in the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Trust Fund may be withdrawn by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and for other purposes.
• H.R.7325 - To establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States, and for other purposes.
• H.Res.1033 - Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning February 2, 2026, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week".

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (Interior)
• Summit Lake Formula Area Expansion (HUD)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• The cloudy future of Alaska's magnificent public lands.
• The Michigan Anishinaabeg.
• The Mono Basin Project: Remedying environmental injustice through Tribal beneficial use designations.
• Native Nations, public lands, and the Trump 2.0 era.
• Public lands and the Supreme Court.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• After scrutiny, Michigan moves to release redacted Native boarding school report
• Trump officials ordered removal of history, science signs at national parks, report says
• Oklahoma Gov. Stitt calls for limits on Tribal sovereignty, Tribal leaders respond
• Court says state cannot prosecute Tribal citizen for cannabis charge on Tribal lands
• Attorneys give Tribal citizens guidance on navigating ICE encounters

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 1/28/2026

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin

One petition for certiorari was filed 12/22/25:

• Jacobs v. Oregon Department of Human Services (25-6586) (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

Federal Courts Bulletin

• Rousseau v. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, et al. (Tribal sovereign immunity; Tribal jurisdiction)
• McClure v. Futrell (Tribal jurisdiction)
• Damron v. Pierce (Tribal jurisdiction)

State Courts Bulletin

• Oenga v. Givens (trust breach)
• In the Matter of the Minnesota Racing Commission's Approval of Running Aces Casino (Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA))

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• H.R.7269 - To amend the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Act of 1989 to clarify that amounts in the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Trust Fund may be withdrawn by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and for other purposes.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Fraser River Panel Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Orders (Commerce)
• Reimbursement Rates for Calendar Year 2026 (HHS)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Fletcher's uncertainty principle.
• Fractionation by design: Remedy without repair in Indigenous-owned trust allotments.
• Gorsuch’s dissent and the current state of Navajo water rights claims.
• The new existentialism in Indian law.
• The three phases of the Tribal self-determination era and the phase out of federal paternalism.
• Tribal co-management on ceded lands: A new era?
• Tribes as nations: The future of the trust relationship.
• The unenforceable Indian trust.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Michigan spent $1.1M probing Tribal boarding schools, then buried the results
• Long Island school district must reinstate Native American mascot or face funding cuts, Trump administration says
• Tribes and environmental groups sound alarm about fate of one of Utah’s national monuments, Grand Staircase-Escalante
• Lumbee Tribe buys land off I-95 for possible casino
• The Pentagon is reviewing a program that helps Alaska Native corporations get federal contracts

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 1/21/2026

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin

One petition for certiorari was filed 1/9/26:

• Martorello v. Williams (25-829) (Tribal sovereign lending)

Federal Courts Bulletin

• United States, et al. v. Ballard (Indian Country; criminal jurisdiction)
• United States, et al. v. Iski (Indian Country; criminal jurisdiction)

Tribal Courts Bulletin

• Muscogee (Creek) Nation v. Waddle (Tribal law - sentencing)
• Peevyhouse v. Muscogee (Creek) Nation (Tribal law - refiling charges)
• In re the disenrollment appeal of Selvidge-Brownfield (disenrollment)

State Courts Bulletin

• In re Bella L. (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• H.R.7065 - Seneca Nation Law Enforcement Efficiency Act / To nullify the applicability of the Act of July 2, 1948, with respect to the reservations of the Seneca Nation of Indians in New York.
• S.Res.585 - A resolution honoring the life, achievements, and legacy of Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Filing of Survey Plats: Alaska (Interior)
• Tribal General Welfare Benefits; Correction (Treasury)
• Updating the Water Quality Certification Regulations (EPA)
• Tribal Consultation on Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule (HHS)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Advancing the rights of nature: Lessons from Sauk-Suiattle v. City of Seattle.
• Beyond ICWA: Within family court systems, mixed Indigenous families confront ongoing jurisdictional violence.
• Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
• The corpus juris of (Alaska Native) inherent Tribal sovereignty.
• Expansion of federal benefits to non-Native adopted children.
• Indigenous law is real law: Ending erasure through legal reform and recognition.
• Legal history: The curious case of the disappearing unceded Lakota territories.
• Moving forward from Brackeen and solutions for the greater efficacy of the Indian Child Welfare Act.
• Native history is United States history: How United States history censorship leads to passive acceptance of racial discrimination and furthers the decline of Tribal sovereignty.
• The Tribal rules of evidence.
• U.N.masking American exceptionalism: How international frameworks can inform American Indian policy.
• Workers’ compensation codes in American Indian* Tribal Nations.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Wisconsin Tribes oppose ending protections for roadless areas on national forests
• Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected State of Alaska's bid to reopen subsistence debate, what's next?
• Lawsuit between MHA Nation, North Dakota over mineral rights headed for trial
• Native American designation now available on Arizona driver licenses and IDs
• NARF condemns ICE actions, says Native Americans unlawfully detained

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 1/14/2026

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin

Two petitions for certiorari were denied 1/12/26:

• Alaska v. United States (25-320) (fishing regulation under Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act)
• Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians v. Michigan (25-165) (treaty fishing rights)

Federal Courts Bulletin

• United States v. Ruiz (Indian status)
• Amboh v. Haney, et al. (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA); firm-waiver rule)

Tribal Courts Bulletin

• Tarabochia v. Quinault Indian Nation (disenrollment)
• Emery v. Sault Tribe Housing Authority (Tribal law)

State Courts Bulletin

• In the Interest of A.H. and K.W. (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA))

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• S.3617 - A bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Yavapai-Apache Nation in the State of Arizona, to authorize construction of a water project relating to those water rights claims, and for other purposes.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Denial of Presidential Permit for the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (Presidential Memorandum)
• Tribal Consultation on Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule (HHS)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Abandoning the ward: Federal government has no affirmative duty to secure water for Navajo Nation — Arizona v. Navajo Nation, 599 U.S. 555 (2023).
• From Winans to Wallahee: Treaties, the Washington State Supreme Court, and the pursuit of a more just rule of law.
• Heritage collections and preservation conversation.
• Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta’s constitutional mistakes.
• Legal obstacles to seating a Cherokee delegate in Congress.
• Tangible recommendations to execute California Assembly Bill 3099: A proactive approach to combatting the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis.
• The truth About Midkiff justifies Kelo’s reversal: A response to progress and the taking of Indigenous land by Ezra Rosser.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Muscogee Nation wages its own legal battle against state officials over hunting, fishing rights
• Western Apaches return to 9th Circuit to defend holy land
• South Dakota Oglala Sioux Tribe demands the release of Lakota men detained by ICE
• Montana's Chouteau County moves forward with new district favoring Tribes
• EPA proposes limiting power of states and Tribes to block major projects over water concerns

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 1/7/2026

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin

One petition for certiorari was filed 12/18/25:

• Flintco LLC v. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (25-764) (contracts; Federal Arbitration Act (FAA))

Federal Courts Bulletin

• Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arika Nation v. U.S. Department of the Interior, et al. (Tribal property; water rights)
• Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation v. United States (Indian Tucker Act; trust breach; water rights)
• Williams v. Lybrand, et al. (Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA); Tribal sovereign immunity)
• United States of America, et al. v. Abousleman, et al. (water rights)
• Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership, et al.v. Whitmer, et al. (Pipeline Safety Act; resource management)
• Legend Lake Property Owners Association Inc. v. Menominee County, et al. (Section 1983; Tribal property; taxation)

State Courts Bulletin

• In re K.G. (Indian Child Welfare Act)
• Interest of J.C. (Indian Chld Welfare Act)

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin

• S.3573 - A bill to amend the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act to modify a provision relating to the extension of certain dates for the completion of the Regional Water System, and for other purposes.
• H.R.6917 - To take certain land into trust for the benefit of the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians.

Passed legislation:

• H.R.165 - Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act / To direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and for other purposes became Public Law No: 119-61 on 12/19/2025.
• H.R.410 - Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025 / To extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program, and for other purposes became Public Law No: 119-63 on 12/26/2025.
• H.R.504 - Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act / To amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserved Area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding, and for other purposes vetoed by President on 12/29/2025.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin

• Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (TIAC) Membership Announcement (HUD)
• Approval of Clean Air Act General Permit Requests for Coverage for New Minor Source Gasoline Dispensing Facilities in Indian Country Within California (EPA)
• Receipt of Request for Authorization To Re-Petition for Federal Acknowledgment as an American Indian Tribe (Interior)
• Receipt of Request for Authorization To Re-Petition for Federal Acknowledgment as an American Indian Tribe (Interior)
• Strengthening the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program; Extension of Compliance Date (HUD)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin

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• Best practices for employers on Tribal land.
• Facilitating the return of human remains: Museum policy case studies across the United States and United Kingdom.
• Indian Country supervision.
• Investment v. cultural diversity: Reconciling the protection of foreign investments with heritage preservation and Indigenous rights.
• Tribal civil procedure: An unexplored path to sovereignty and economic development.

News Bulletin

This week, in brief:

• Dakota Access pipeline should continue operating, US Army Corps of Engineers says
• Federal judge blocks Michigan Governor Whitmer from shutting down submerged Great Lakes pipeline
• Lumbee Tribe becomes 575th federally recognized Tribe
• Oklahoma AG's opinion orders wildlife officials to stop ticketing Tribal citizens on reservations
• Trump veto stalls effort to expand Miccosukee Tribal lands

Announcements

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