The federal mediator for the Oneida Nation land claim is calling it quits, saying there is no chance of a settlement.

John Tabner had been assigned to the case in May 2002. His term was extended several times but he told lawyers that he won't seek another extension.

The Oneida Nation of New York, the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the Oneida First Nation from Canada filed claim to 250,000 acres in upstate New York. The state and two counties are the defendants. The U.S. intervened on behalf of the tribes.

At one point, Gov. George Pataki (R) reached a settlement with the New York Oneidas but the deal was opposed by the Wisconsin Oneidas. More recently, Pataki reached a settlement with the Wisconsin Oneidas but the New York Oneidas objected.

Get the Story:
Mediator Terms Oneida Talks Useless (The Syracuse Post-Standard 9/9)

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation - http://www.oneida-nation.net

Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

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