As recently appeared in The Public Record: Doing Business with Native American Tribes Since its creation, the federal government has contracted with and passed laws affecting the self-determination of Native Americans. State governments have also entered into agreements or “compacts” with tribes, typically involving gaming and taxes on products and
The Native American people under Palm Springs tribal law need to understand the legal ramifications of holding land in trust and the possibilities of earning a fee in trust.
A recent publication stated that the Aqua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians from Coachella Valley, California recently lost a lawsuit that accused a California county of unlawful collection of taxes on leased tribal trust lands. A California federal judge ruled that the collection of these taxes did not overly interfere
At a recent Annual Meeting, a quorum of the National Native American Bar Association (the “NNABA”) passed a resolution entitled: “Resolution #2015-07 Affirming the inclusion of Indian Law on State Bar Licensing Exams.” President Mary Smith signed the measure, which will no doubt interest anyone seeking the services of a
According to Turtle Talk, this month the U.S. Department of Justice stood in defense of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians who have brought a lawsuit against two California water agencies. The tribe is accusing the Coachella Valley Water District and the Desert Water Agency of mismanaging the groundwater
Unique challenges exist within human resource management for tribal employers. Tribal economic development gravitates towards increasing tribal member employment.
In the case of Big Lagoon Rancheria v. State of California, the Ninth Circuit of Appeals ruled 2 to 1 that the state had no obligation to negotiate with the tribe on this parcel of land. The tribe wanted to use the land for a new gaming concept and wanted
In 1988, Congress enacted legislation titled the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) to provide the framework for a gambling operation run by California tribes. This enactment was a direct response to the ruling that stopped California from interfering with existing tribal gaming operations. The IRGA set forth to provide tribes
The state of California is home to 108 federally recognized Native American tribes and approximately 84 non-recognized tribes. Federally recognized and non-federally recognized Native American tribes both have unique political governments. Non-federally recognized tribes continue to practice their traditional Native American forms of government, and lack official recognition from the
Native American tribes are now emerging from centuries of indifferent, hostile, and complex regulation by outside authorities. Native Tribes are recovering self-determination, and developing tribal sovereignty. Tribal governments must deal with complex legal issues, caused by economic development, tribal politics, and cultural expression, as well as legal and policy issues