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MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2003

A federal judge last Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by two former judges of the Crow Tribe of Montana.

U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull said the suit belonged in tribal court. Only until the ex-judges exhausted their options there would he consider it.

The pair, James Ruegame and Robert LaFountain, were fired by new Crow chairman Carl Venne as soon as he took office. Ruegame has since resigned and said he won't try to regain his job. LaFountain said he will continue to fight Venne to show that the the Crow tribal court system is ineffective.

Get the Story:
Federal judge avoids tribal court dispute (The Billings Gazette 1/11)

Related Stories:
New Crow chairman fires two judges (11/21)
Crow judges kicked out of court (3/15)