Law
Court asked to rule on Catawba Nation leadership


Members of the Catawba Nation of South Carolina are asking a state judge to intervene in the tribe's ongoing leadership dispute.

The members want the judge to recognize the results of a 2002 election. But the tribe's lawyer said the election was invalid because the tribe has yet to adopt a constitution since being federally recognized over a decade ago.

The request to intervene came nearly a year to the day since the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that state courts have jurisdiction over internal tribal matters because the tribe doesn't have its own court -- something that would be created with the adoption of a constitution.

Get the Story:
Attorney asks judge to force new leaders (AP 5/27)
pw1

Court Decision:
Wade v. Blue (May 26, 2004)

Related Stories:
Former Catawba Nation official given probation (05/17)
Former Catawba Nation official pleads guilty to theft (03/16)
Commentary: What happened to the Catawba Nation? (3/16)
Catawba Nation trying to sort out leadership dispute (02/18)
South Carolina tribe suffers major setbacks (12/10)
Catawba Nation shuts down government operations (12/02)
New Catawba leaders hope infighting will end (11/10)
Former Catawba Nation official pleads not guilty (10/22)
Catawba election draws field of hopefuls and a lawsuit (10/08)
Indictment of ex-tribal official started with DOI (10/08)
Former Catawba Nation official indicted for theft (10/07)