The Seminole Tribe of Florida can't be sued by a former tenant at one of its casinos, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last month.

The tribe waived its sovereign immunity in a 10-year lease with a spa at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood. But the agreement was never approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs so it is invalid, the court ruled in a unanimous decision.

"The straightforward text of 25 U.S.C. § 81 makes plain that a contract governed by this statute is invalid until the Secretary has approved it," the court said, referring to a section in federal law regarding leases that run longer than seven years.

The spa was removed from the casino in March 2010.

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Contour Spa at the Hard Rock v. Seminole Tribe.

Get the Story:
Court Rules for Tribe in Spa Lease Dispute (Courthouse News 9/6)

11th Circuit Decision:
Contour Spa at the Hard Rock v. Seminole Tribe (August 30, 2012)