The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a lawsuit from a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation who challenged income taxes imposed by the state of Connecticut.

Jo-Ann Dark Eyes argued that income she earned as a tribal official was exempt from state taxes. At the time in question, she lived on the tribe's reservation but her property wasn't held in trust.

The state went to court to collect about $200,000 in taxes and interest from 1996 to 1998. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that Dark Eyes owed the money because her land wasn't taken into trust until August 1998.

Get the Story:
High Court Won't Hear Indian Tax Case Appeal (The New London Day 10/3)
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Court Decision:
Dark-Eyes v. Commissioner of Revenue Services (January 3, 2006)

Case Documents:
Dark-Eyes v. Conn. Commissioner of Revenue Services (NARF-NCAI Supreme Court Project)

Relevant Links:
NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://doc.narf.org/sc/index.html

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Supreme Court urged not to take Indian tax case (07/19)
Connecticut's top court hears Indian taxation case (09/07)
Connecticut towns join case over Indian taxation (08/10)
Connecticut towns want to join case over taxation (07/30)
Brief filed in Indian taxation case in Connecticut (07/19)
State claims tribal tax decision could be costly (05/21)
Mashantucket Tribe joins appeal over taxation (5/20)