Groups file brief in pending land-into-trust case

The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition and the Citizens Equal Rights Foundation have filed a brief in a land-into-trust case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The groups want the high court to review the case. They say the Narragansett Tribe shouldn't be allowed to acquire trust lands that are free of state jurisdiction.

The state of Rhode Island has been trying to block the land-into-trust acquisition. The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals has twice ruled that the tribe is allowed to follow the Indian Reorganization Act.

The tribe is seeking 31 acres in the town of Charlestown for a housing project.

Get the Story:
Coalition joins foe of tribe in court (The Providence Journal 2/6)
pwpwd
16 states back R.I. in opposing ruling on Indian land trusts (The Providence Journal 2/6)

1st Circuit Decisions:
En Banc (July 20, 2007) | Panel (February 9, 2005)

Briefs and Other Documents:
Carcieri v. Kempthorne (NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project

Relevant Laws:
Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act (US Code)

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org
Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://www.narf.org/sct/index.html

Related Stories:
Supreme Court brief backs land-into-trust (1/29)
Rhode Island appeals land-into-trust ruling (10/19)
Narragansett Tribe plans to use land for housing (07/27)
State of Rhode Island loses land-into-trust case (7/23)
Court upholds Narragansett land-into-trust (7/20)
Appeals court hears land-into-trust dispute (1/10)
Appeals court to hear land-into-trust case (1/8)
Appeals court to rehear land-into-trust dispute (12/07)
High court rejects state raid, land claim (11/28)
Supreme Court won't hear land-into-trust cases (10/3)
Court subjects Narragansett Tribe to all state laws (05/25)
Appeals court hears tribal-state sovereignty dispute (12/07)
Narragansett Tribe back in court over sovereignty (12/6)
Rhode Island set to appeal trust land decision (09/16)
Trust land challenge rejected by appeals court (9/14)
Appeals court agrees to rehear sovereignty case (07/11)
Tribal sovereignty must be respected, court rules (05/13)
Appeals court sides with tribe in trust land dispute (02/10)
Court won't rehear challenge to tribal land base (05/21)
Massachusetts court deals blow to tribe's sovereignty (12/10)
R.I. tribe takes smokeshop case to higher court (01/27)
R.I. to appeal Narragansett land-into-trust case (10/1)
Judge affirms Narragansett Tribe land-into-trust (9/30)
State's raid on tribal land sparks strong reactions (07/16)
Court says U.S. can protect tribe's interests (02/04)
Land still in limbo after decade-long fight (10/16)
The day the Supreme Court said no (10/16)