The Massachusetts town that sparked the legal battle over the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe's sovereignty is rejoining the case.

The town of Aquinnah wants the tribe to comply with local regulations. The tribe had raised sovereign immunity but the state's highest court rejected the claim.

Now that the tribe has decided not to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the case will return to the state court. The tribe hopes to negotiate an agreement with the town.

Get the Story:
Interests collide over Wampanoag aquaculture operation (The Martha's Vineyard Times 7/14)

Get the Decision:
Aquinnah v. Gay Head Wampanoag Tribe (December 9, 2004)

Lower Court Decision:
Town of Aquinnah v. Gay Head Wampanoag Tribe (June 11, 2003)

Relevant Links:
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head - http://www.wampanoagtribe.net
NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://doc.narf.org/sc/index.html

Related Stories:
Massachusetts tribe drops sovereignty case (7/11)
O'Connor resigns from nation's highest court (7/5)
Justice's tenure filled with key Indian law cases (7/5)
Supreme Court wraps up October 2004 term (06/28)
U.S. Supreme Court vacancy impacts tribal rights (06/20)
Mixed ruling on state raid of Narragansett Tribe (5/16)
Massachusetts court deals blow to tribe's sovereignty (12/10)
Wampanoag Tribe to appeal sovereignty case (12/10)
Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe elects new leader (11/24)
Top court hears Wampanoag sovereignty case (09/09)
Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe plans new buildings (03/12)
Mass. high court to hear tribal immunity case (2/27)
State to intervene in Wampanoag sovereignty case (01/09)
Mass. town urged to appeal tribal immunity ruling (12/05)
Mass. court upholds Wampanoag Tribe's sovereignty (11/06)
Dershowitz: Judge may be wrong on Wampanoag case (07/22)
Mass. town argues for jurisdiction over tribe (7/21)
Mass. judge asked to reconsider sovereignty ruling (06/24)
Mass. court affirms tribe's sovereignty (6/18)
Mass. tribe argues for sovereign rights on land (02/14)