Cobell prepares for historical accounting trial

Attorneys in the Cobell v. Kempthorne trust fund case are preparing for an October 10 trial on the historical accounting.

Judge Royce Lamberth ordered an accounting of "all funds" in the Individual Indian Money (IIM) back in December 1999. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision but the project has not been completed by the Clinton or Bush administrations.

With Lamberth removed for a perception of bias, Judge James Robertson took over the case. Robertson ordered the trial to determine if the Interior Department's accounting satisfies fiduciary trust standards and whether it was "unreasonably" delayed.

Despite the movement, the two sides disagree on the scope of the accounting. The plaintiffs say the government is unlawfully excluding hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries.

A status hearing this past Monday broached some of the issues. Robertson plans to hold another one on June 18.

Get the Story:
Lawyers prepare for October hearing on Indian trust fund accounts (Government Executive News 5/17)

Court Order:
Cobell v. Kempthorne (April 20,2007)

Settlement Letter:
Kempthorne-Gonzales to SCIA (March 1, 2007)

Relevant Documents:
Alberto Gonzales Testimony (March 1, 2005) | SCIA Views and Estimates (March 1, 2007)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm

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