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Appeals court puts trust fund ruling on hold
Friday, November 14, 2003

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has put the latest ruling in the Indian trust fund case on hold.

On September 25, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered an accounting of at least $13 billion in Indian funds. He also said he would appoint a judicial monitor to oversee trust reform at the Department of Interior.

But in an order issued yesterday, the D.C. Circuit stayed Lamberth's ruling pending resolution of the Bush administration's appeal. Citing a rider enacted into law on Monday, attorneys for Secretary of Interior Gale Norton claim the case should be put on hold for at least a year while Congress sorts out the scope of the accounting.

The D.C. Circuit directed the Cobell plaintiffs and Norton's attorneys to file briefs regarding the dispute by next Friday.

Get the Story:
Appeals court halts court-ordered Indian trust fund accounting (AP 11/14)

Get the Order:
Cobell v. Norton (November 13, 2003)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust

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