WOLFCHILD v. U.S.

Nos. 2012-5035, 2012-5036, 2012-5043.

731 F.3d 1280 (2013)

Sheldon Peters WOLFCHILD, Ernie Peters Longwalker, Scott Adolphson, Morris J. Pendleton, Barbara Feezor Buttes, Winifred St. Pierre Feezor, Autumn Weaver, Aries Bluestone Weaver, Elijah Bluestone Weaver, Ruby Minkel, Lavonne A. Swenson, Willis Swenson, Aaron Swenson, Beverly M. Scott, Lillian Wilson, Monique Wilson, Sandra Columbus Geshick, Cheryl K. Lorusso, Jennifer K. Lorusso, Cassandra Shevchuk, Jason Shevchuk, James Paul Wilson, Eva Grace Wilson, Benita M. Johnson, And Kevin Lorusso, Plaintiffs-Cross Appellants, and Anita D. Whipple et al., Descendants of Lucy Trudell, Bonnie Rae Lowe, et al., Descendants of Joseph Graham, et al., Lenor Ann Scheffler Blaeser et al., Descendants of John Moose, and Mary Beth Lafferty, et al., Plaintiffs, and Coursolle Descendants and Rocque and Taylor Descendants, Plaintiffs, and Deborah L. Saul, Laura Vassar, et al., Lydia Ferris et al., Daniel M. Trudell, et al., Robert Lee Taylor, et al., and Dawn Henry, Plaintiffs, and Raymond Cermak, Sr., (acting individually and under a power of attorney for Stanley F. Cermak, Sr.), Michael Stephens, et al., Jesse Cermak, et al., Denise Henderson, Delores Klingberg, Sally Ella Alkire, Pierre Arnold, Jr., and Getrude Godoy et al., Plaintiffs, and John Does 1-30, Winona C. Thomas Enyard, and Kitto, et al., Plaintiffs, and Francine Garreau, et al., Plaintiffs, and Francis Elaine Felix, Plaintiff, and Ke Zephier, et al., Plaintiffs, and Lower Sioux Indian Community, Plaintiff, and Philip W. Morgan, Plaintiff, and Rebecca Elizabeth Felix, Plaintiff, and Vera A. Rooney, et al., Plaintiffs, and Danny Lee Mozak, Plaintiff-Cross Appellant, and Dawn Burley, et al. Plaintiffs-Cross Appellants, and Harley Zephier, Sr., Plaintiff-Cross Appellant, and John Does 1-433, Plaintiffs-Cross Appellants, and Julia Dumarce, et al., Plaintiffs-Cross Appellants, and Raymond Cournoyer, Sr., et al., Jerry Robinette, et al., Sandra Kimbell, et al., Charlene Wanna, et al., and Leslie Lee French, et al., Plaintiffs-Cross Appellants, and Kristine Abrahamson, Plaintiff-Cross-Appellant, and Victoria Robertson Vadnais, Plaintiff-Cross Appellant, v. UNITED STATES, Defendant-Appellant.

United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit.

September 27, 2013.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Erick G. Kaardal , Mohrman & Kaardal, P.A., of Minneapolis, MN, argued for plaintiffs-cross appellants, Sheldon Peters Wolfchild, et al.

Gary J. Montana , Montana & Associates, of Osseo, Wisconsin, argued for plaintiffs-cross appellants, Julia Dumarce Group, et al. and Robin L. Zephier , Abourezek & Zephier, of Rapid City, SD, argued for Plaintiff-Cross Appellant, Harley Zephier, Sr. With them on the brief was R. Deryl Edwards, JR. , Attorney at Law, of Joplin, Missouri.

John L. Smeltzer , Attorney, Environment and Natural Resources Division, United States Department of Justice, of Washington, DC, argued for defendantappellant. With him on the brief were Ignacia S. Moreno , Assistant Attorney General, Aaron Avila and Jody Schwarz , Attorneys.

Philip Baker-Shenk , Holland & Knight, LLP, of Washington, DC, for amici curiae.

Opinion concurring-in-part and dissenting-in-part filed by Circuit Judge REYNA.


TARANTO, Circuit Judge.

The United States currently holds certain tracts of land in Minnesota in trust for three Indian communities. It originally acquired some of that land in the late 1800s, using funds appropriated by Congress to help support a statutorily identified group of Indians, and held it for the benefit of those Indians and their descendants for decades. As time passed, that beneficiary group and the three present-day communities that grew on these lands...

Let's get started

Leagle.com

Welcome to the leading source of independent legal reporting
Sign on now to see your case.
Or view more than 10 million decisions and orders.

  • Updated daily.
  • Uncompromising quality.
  • Complete, Accurate, Current.

Listed below are the cases that are cited in this Featured Case. Click the citation to see the full text of the cited case. Citations are also linked in the body of the Featured Case.

Cited Cases

  • No Cases Found

Listed below are those cases in which this Featured Case is cited. Click on the case name to see the full text of the citing case.

Citing Cases