The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected one appeal in the $3.4 billion Cobell trust fund settlement.

Without comment, the justices declined a petition filed by Kimberly Craven, a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, according to an order list. That leaves just one appeal remaining before the payments can go out to Indian Country.

"We're going to be ready to hit the ground running as soon as the Supreme Court makes a decision," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in an interview last week with Indianz.Com.

The second petition, filed by Charles Colombe, Carol Eve Good Bear and Mary Lee Johns, is due for consideration on November 9, according to Docket No. 12-355. Given the action on Craven, the Supreme Court will likely deny the appeal in an order on November 12.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Elena Kagan did not take part in the consideration of Craven's petition, according to Docket No. 12-134. Roberts sat on the D.C Circuit Court of Appeals when the Cobell case came before him. Kagan worked for the Department of Justice when the case was in the lower courts.

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