The Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold, California. Photo © Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians
The sheriff in Madera County, California, can continue to patrol the casino owned by the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, a federal judge ruled. A faction of the tribe tried to bar Sheriff John Anderson from engaging with other factions and from carrying out activities associated with the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino. In a ruling last week, Judge Richard Seeborg blocked those individuals from interfering with Anderson and granted Anderson a final judgment on the matter. At the same time, Seeborg said Anderson can't sue the tribe itself or tribal entities due to sovereign immunity. The tribe has a memorandum of understanding with the sheriff's department but Seeborg said Anderson's case did not arise from that agreement. The tribe has been mired in a leadership dispute for nearly three years. Two factions have agreed to a new election in 2015 but a third hasn't agreed to the plan. Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Anderson v. Duran. Get the Story:
Judge Rules for Sheriff in Tribal Civil War (Courthouse News Service 10/7)
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