The U.S. Supreme Court has given the Obama administration even more time to consider an appeal in a trust law case.

The Department of Justice has until September 19 to decide whether to appeal a case involving Jicarilla Apache Nation of New Mexico. This is the second extension the Supreme Court has granted.

Turtle Talk speculates that the Obama administration is considering whether its stance in the Oneida Nation land claim case might affect a petition in US v. Jicarilla Apache Nation.

"Jicarilla is about whether the United States must turn over federal trust responsibility documents it claims are privileged (and documents that indicate the U.S. has a greater fiduciary duty to tribes than the DOJ is willing to accept in litigation with Jicarilla). Whether or not to file in Oneida goes to the heart of the trust responsibility," Turtle Talk said in a post yesterday.

Federal Circuit Decision:
In Re United States (December 30, 2009)

DC Circuit Decision:
Jicarilla Apache Nation v. DOI (July 16, 2010)

Related Stories:
Supreme Court approves extension for Jicarilla Apache trust ruling (8/2)
Jicarilla Apache Nation hopes to recover $6M in royalty dispute (7/23)
Appeals court reopens Jicarilla Apache Nation gas royalty lawsuit (7/19)
Court says government must produce trust documents (1/13)
Judge rejects Jicarilla Apache gas royalty lawsuit (4/1)