Indian Law Bulletins Updated 4/30/2025

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/sct/2024-2025update.html

One petition for certiorari was denied 4/28/2025:

• Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians v. Burgum (24-622) (Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement Act)

Federal Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/2025.html

• Lozeau v. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Criminal Jurisdiction; Tribal Conviction; PL 280)
• United States v. Bear Runner (Criminal Intent; Tribal Policy)
• Muscogee (Creek) Nation v. Tulsa County, Oklahoma, et al. (Criminal Jurisdiction; Tribal Sovereignty; Temporary Restraining Order)
• North Dakota v. United States (Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA); Special Use Permit)
• Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, et al. v. Burgum, et al. (Land into Trust; Indian Gaming; Standing for Intervention)

State Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/state/2025.html

• Matter of A. R. E. (Indian Child Welfare Act)

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin
http://narf.org/nill/bulletins/legislation/119_uslegislation.html

• S.1508 - A bill to confer jurisdiction on the State of Utah with respect to civil causes of action arising on or within the Indian lands of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, and for other purposes.
• S.1513 - A bill to take certain Federal land in the State of Washington into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and for other purposes.
• S.1514 - A bill to take certain land in the State of Washington into trust for the benefit of the Quinault Indian Nation, and for other purposes.
• H.R.3073 - To confer jurisdiction on the State of Utah with respect to civil causes of action arising on or within the Indian lands of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, and for other purposes.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin
http://narf.org/nill/bulletins/regulatory/2025.html

• Proposed Information Collection Activity; Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Data Report, Tribal Assistance for Needy Families Annual Report, and Tribal Assistance for Needy Families Reasonable Cause/Corrective Action Documentation Process (HHS)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin (contact us if you need help finding a copy of an article)
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/currentlr.html

• The Indian Child Welfare Act survives for now.
• "It doesn't rise to the level of crisis that other situations would." Indigenous self-determination and gendered violence in Alaska.
• Lexington Insurance Co. v. Smith: Ninth Circuit denies rehearing en banc to consider whether nonmember physical presence on tribal lands is required for tribal adjudicatory jurisdiction.

News Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/currentnews.html

This week, in brief:

• New Mexico judge orders remedial plan to improve public education for Native American students
• Why the San Manuel tribe is going back to its original name
• Arizona federal judge will consider Apache Stronghold’s petition to delay pending Oak Flat land swap
• Colorado among growing number of states aiming to strengthen local ICWA laws that protect tribal children and families
• Native American voters turned out big for Wisconsin Supreme Court election

Indian Law Bulletins Updated 4/23/2025

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/sct/2024-2025update.html

One petition for certiorari was denied 4/21/2025:

• HCI Distribution, Inc. v. Hilgers (24-615) (State Taxation of Tobacco Product Sales by Tribal Entities)

Federal Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/2025.html

• Hackford v. United States Department of the Interior, et al. (Ute Partition Act (UPA); Tribal Membership)
• NDN Collective, et al. v. Retsel Corporation, et al. (Discrimination; Standing; Testers)
• United States of America, et al. v. Iski (McGirt v. Oklahoma; Intervention; Joinder)
• Fuson v. Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (Navajo and Hopi Indian Land Settlement Act of 1974; Administrative Procedure Act)
• McLean v. United States (Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA); Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA))

Tribal Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/tribal/2025.html

• In the Matter of the Constitutionality of NCA 24-077 (Constitutionality of Legislation; Separation of Powers)
• Boria v. Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprise (Premises Liability; Open and Obvious Dangerous Condition)
• Duong v. Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (Public Policy Considerations; Notice of Defective Condition)

State Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/state/2025.html

• In re L.Q. (Indian Child Welfare Act)

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin
http://narf.org/nill/bulletins/legislation/119_uslegislation.html

• H.R.2929 - To extend the full measure of the Federal Government-to-government relationship between the United States and the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin
http://narf.org/nill/bulletins/regulatory/2025.html

• Major Portion Prices and Due Date for Additional Royalty Payments on Gas Produced From Indian Lands in Designated Areas That Are Not Associated With an Index Zone (Interior)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin (contact us if you need help finding a copy of an article)
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/currentlr.html

• Arizona v. Navajo Nation: The fight for a permanent homeland.
• A cultural property interest: How Indigenous groups can use tort law to repossess their artifacts.
• "Political rather than racial in nature": Strengthening Morton v. Mancari using the Indian Commerce Clause.
• Recognition policies, self-determination, and access to legal redress for Indigenous Peoples in the United States, Australia, and Canada: A comparative study.
• "We stand with the water": Ojibwe treaty rights, the Walleye Wars, and the imminent thread of Enbridge's Line 5.

News Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/currentnews.html

This week, in brief:

• Religious funding debate revisits role of Indian boarding schools
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirms Line 5 tunnel review to move forward under shortened timeline
• Feds to move ahead on Oak Flat copper mine swap in Arizona, despite pending Supreme Court case 
• Trump FY 2026 budget aims to slash $900 million from Indian Health Service
• What the SAVE Act could mean for Native American voters

Indian Law Bulletins Updated 4/16/2025

U.S. Supreme Court Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/sct/2024-2025update.html

One petition for certiorari was filed 1/17/2025:

• Cromwell v. United States (24-6364) (Hobbs Act)

Federal Courts Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/2025.html

• United States of America, et al. v. Ballard (McGirt v. Oklahoma; Intervention; Joinder)
• United States of America v. LaBelle (Aggravating Role Enhancement; Substantively Unreasonable Sentence)
• United States of America, et al. v. Iski (Criminal Jurisdiction; Indian Country; Intervention)
• United States of America, et al. v. Ballard (Criminal Jurisdiction; Indian Country; Intervention)
• Ute Indian Tribe of Uintah and Ouray Reservation v. United States Department of Interior, et al. (Trust Relationship; Land Restoration)

U.S. Legislation - 119th Congress Bulletin
http://narf.org/nill/bulletins/legislation/119_uslegislation.html

• S.1468 - A bill to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a Village Corporation under that Act, and for other purposes.
• H.R.2815 - To provide equitable treatment for the people of the Village Corporation established for the Native Village of Saxman, Alaska, and for other purposes.
• H.R.2827 - To provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes.

U.S. Regulatory Bulletin
http://narf.org/nill/bulletins/regulatory/2025.html

• Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2025 Pacific Whiting Tribal Allocation and 2025 Incidental Set-Aside (Commerce)

Law Review & Bar Journal Bulletin (contact us if you need help finding a copy of an article)
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/currentlr.html

• Feed it to the ocean: The federal approach to decommissioning in Alaska Native climate adaptation projects.
• Old habits die hard: How the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act perpetuates settler colonialism and denies Indigenous sovereignty.

News Bulletin
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/currentnews.html

This week, in brief:

• Tribes, North Dakota partner to update 30-year-old textbooks on Native history
• Federal funding freeze halts key infrastructure projects in tribal communities
• Alaska Tribes sue US Army Corps of Engineers over approval of controversial gold mining operation
• Will Native Tribes secure Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument?
• RFK Jr. wants to target chronic disease in US Tribes. A key program to do that was gutted