"The history of the U.S. government’s handling of the Native trust system is so full of trickery and theft that perhaps it should not be surprising that it’s been difficult to bring the chapter to an end.

But, to honor the memory of Elouise Cobell, who filed a lawsuit in 1996 demanding an accurate accounting and redress, we hope the moment is near.

A federal appeals court last week upheld the $3.4 billion settlement between the government and Natives.

Cobell, a member of Montana’s Blackfeet Nation, died in October with appeals still pending. After last week’s ruling, her son, Turk, said he hoped the ruling meant that checks could soon go out to more than 500,000 trust account holders."

Get the Story:
Editorial: End of road on trust system (The Lincoln Journal Star 5/29)

DC Circuit Decisions:
Cobell v. Salazar (May 22, 2012)
Cobell v. Salazar (May 22, 2012)

Related Stories:
Appeal weighed after DC Circuit backs $3.4B Cobell settlement (5/24)
Ask Elouise: DC Circuit affirms approval of trust fund settlement (5/23)
DC Circuit ruling puts $3.4B settlement closer to Indian Country (5/23)
DC Circuit affirms fairness of $3.4B Cobell trust fund settlement (5/22)
Native Sun News: $3.4B Cobell settlement still in question (02/22)
DC Circuit hears first of challenges to Cobell trust settlement (02/17)