No. 21-769

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians v. Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, et al.

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2021-11-23
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (1) Experienced Counsel
Tags: allotment congressional-intent federal-reservation indian-land-rights indian-law sixth-circuit-ruling statutory-interpretation superintendence treaty-interpretation treaty-of-detroit treaty-rights
Key Terms:
Environmental Patent JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2022-02-25
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the 1855 Treaty of Detroit established a federal reservation for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED In 1855, the United States and Petitioner Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians entered into the Treaty of Detroit, July 31, 1855, 11 Stat. 621, which “withdr[e]w [land] from sale for the benefit of said Indians” and made substantial promises with respect to these “reserved” lands constituting the “aforesaid reservations.” Inthe years immediately after, Congress acknowledged in statutory text the reservations it had created—describing “the reservation made for the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan by the [1855 Treaty],” Act of June 10, 1872, ch. 424, 17 Stat. 381, and referring to the “lands reserved for Indian purposes under the [1855 Treaty],” Act of March 8, 1875, ch. 188, 18 Stat. 516. Despite that clear text, the Sixth Circuit concluded that Congress never created a reservation for the Band because the Treaty provided for allotments to individual members—which, contrary to this Court’s repeated holdings, the Sixth Circuit deemed inconsistent with creating a reservation. Pet. App. 25a. The Sixth Circuit then compounded its error by holding that there could have been no reservation because the Band failed to demonstrate that the Treaty separately and expressly called for active federal superintendence of the land, in conflict with then-Judge Gorsuch’s opinion for the Tenth Circuit in Hydro Resources, Inc. v. United States EPA, 608 F.3d 1131 (10th Cir. 2010) (en bane), holding no such showing is required for reservations. The question presented is: Whether the 1855 Treaty of Detroit established a federal reservation for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians?

Docket Entries

2022-02-28
Petition DENIED.
2022-02-09
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/25/2022.
2022-02-08
Reply of petitioner Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians filed. (Distributed)
2022-01-24
Brief of respondents Emmet County Lake Shore Association and The Protection of Rights Alliance in opposition filed.
2022-01-24
Brief of respondents Municipal Defendants in opposition filed.
2022-01-24
Brief of respondents 10 Intervenor-Appellee Townships in opposition filed.
2022-01-24
Brief of respondent Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan in opposition filed.
2021-12-23
Brief amici curiae of Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, et al. filed.
2021-12-20
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including January 24, 2022, for all respondents.
2021-12-17
Motion to extend the time to file a response from December 23, 2021 to January 24, 2022, submitted to The Clerk.
2021-11-19
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 23, 2021)

Attorneys

Bear Creek Township, Bliss Township, Center Township, Cross Village Township, Friendship Township, Little Traverse Township, Pleasantview Township, Readmond Township, Resort Township and West Traverse Township
Michael Eugene CavanaughFraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C., Amicus
Michael Eugene CavanaughFraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C., Amicus
Emmet County Lake Shore Association and The Protection of Rights Alliance
Jill Margaret WheatonDykema Gossett, PLLC, Respondent
Jill Margaret WheatonDykema Gossett, PLLC, Respondent
Governor Whitmer
Fadwa A. HammoudMichigan Department of Attorney General, Respondent
Fadwa A. HammoudMichigan Department of Attorney General, Respondent
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; Bay Mills Indian Community; Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes
Edward Carroll DuMontStanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, Amicus
Edward Carroll DuMontStanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, Amicus
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Ian Heath GershengornJenner & Block, Petitioner
Ian Heath GershengornJenner & Block, Petitioner
Municipal Defendants
Josephine A. DeLorenzoPlunkett Cooney, Respondent
Josephine A. DeLorenzoPlunkett Cooney, Respondent