The federal judge handling the Indian trust fund ordered the Interior Department on Tuesday to keep beneficiaries informed of their rights regarding the sale or exchange of trust land.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth declined to impose a preliminary injunction barring the sale of allotments in Oklahoma. Instead, he said the government should tell landowners of their rights under the Cobell class action, including the right to consult the plaintiffs' attorneys.

"The failure of Interior to create and maintain an accurate and complete accounting of the trust is one symptom of this mismanagement that has been held, by this Court and by the Court of Appeals, to constitute a breach of fiduciary duty by Interior," Lamberth wrote in the 29-page decision.

Get the Story:
Interior Ordered to Keep Indians Informed (AP 9/29)

Relevant Documents:
Latest Court Order | Temporary Restraining Order | List of Auction Properties | Motion for TRO

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

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