Supreme Court Supports Tribes in Reimbursement Dispute in Ruling with Unusual Lineup

The lineup is unusual in a U.S. Supreme Court decision today supporting Native American tribes in a dispute with the federal government. The 5-4 ruling held that tribes contracting with the Interior Department to run government services must be paid the full amount promised, despite a collective cap on reimbursement for tribal programs imposed by Congress. The services provided include law enforcement, environmental protection and agricultural assistance. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the majority opinion (PDF) in Salazar v. Ramah Navajo Chapter. She was joined by Justices Elena Kagan, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. SCOTUSblog describes the ruling this way: "The federal government is…

[Read More...]