ALTO v. BLACK

No. 12-56145.

738 F.3d 1111 (2013)

Albert P. ALTO; Andre E. Alto; Anthony Alto; Brandon Alto; Christy Alto; Christopher J. Alto; Daniel J. Alto, Jr.; Daniel J. Alto, Sr.; Dominique N. Alto; Raymond E. Alto, Sr.; Raymond E. Alto; Raymond J. Alto, a Representative for Ben Alto, deceased, Marcus M. Alto, deceased, Marcus R. Alto, deceased, David Gomez, deceased, Susan Martinez, deceased; Robert Alto; Ronald Alto, Sr.; Victoria (Alto) Ballew; Angela (Martinez-Mcneal) Ballon; Juan J. Ballon; Rebecca (Alto) Ballon; Ruby Ballon; Janice J. Banderas; Peter Banderas; Victor Banderas; David A. Brokiewicz; Diana Brokiewicz; Patricia D. Brokiewicz; Monica (Sepeda) Diaz; Anthony Forrester; Dustin Forrester; Johanna (Alto) Forrester; Sarah Forrester; Ernest Gomez; Henrietta (Alto) Gomez; Kathleen M. Gomez; Humberto R. Green; Lydia (Alto) Green; Paul Anthony Green; Mary Jo (Alto) Hurtado; Justin A. Islas; Cynthia (Sepeda) Ledesma; Destiny C. Ledesma; Amanda M. Minges; Isabelle M. Sepeda; Lupe Sepeda; Deborah L. Vargas; Desiree Vargas; Jeremiah Vargas; Jessiah Vargas; Terry Weight; Jason Alto; Carol Edith Cavazos; Aimee Renae Diaz; Daniel Gomez; Lisa Gomez Huntoon; Christine Martinez; Marlene M. Martinez; Cassandra Sepeda; Pamela J. Alto, as Guardian ad litem for Marcus M. Green, a minor; Pedro Banderas, as Guardian ad litem for Reina A. Banderas, a minor; Dawn Castillo, as Guardian ad litem for Alexis N. Ledesma, a minor, and Jesse Ledesma, a minor; Maria A. Perez-Rolon, as Guardian ad litem for Roland J. Alto, Jr., a minor; Martin Diaz, as Guardian ad litem for Jessica Diaz, a minor, Toni L. Diaz, a minor, and Jacob Diaz, a minor; Donald Martinez, as Guardian ad litem for Donelle Martinez, a minor, Justine Martinez, a minor, and Sabrina Martinez, a minor, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. Michael BLACK, Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs of Department of Interior; Robert Eben, Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southern California Agency, of Department of Interior; Kevin K. Washburn, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs of Department of Interior; Sally Jewell, Secretary of Department of Interior, Defendants-Appellees, and Doe, Defendants, 1 through 10, inclusive, Defendant, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, Intervenor-Appellant.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Filed December 26, 2013.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Geoffrey D. Strommer (argued), Vernon L. Peterson , and Timothy C. Seward , Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP, Portland, OR, for Intervenor-Appellant.

Thor O. Emblem (argued) and Tracy L. Emblem , Law Offices of Thor O. Emblem, Escondido, CA, for Plaintiffs-Appellees.

John L. Smeltzer (argued), Ignacia S. Moreno , Assistant Attorney General, and Katherine J. Barton , Environment and Natural Resources Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Federal Appellees.

Before: MARSHA S. BERZON and PAUL J. WATFORD, Circuit Judges, and JAMES G. CARR, Senior District Judge.


OPINION

BERZON, Circuit Judge:

Our question concerns the propriety of a preliminary injunction issued with regard to a dispute over membership in an Indian tribe. "`[A] tribe's right to define its own membership for tribal purposes has long been recognized as central to its existence as an independent political community.'" Cahto Tribe of Laytonville Rancheria v. Dutschke, 715 F.3d 1225, 1226 (9th Cir. 2013) (quoting...

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