Cobell historical accounting trial starts in DC

Wednesday, October 10, 2007  

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., will being a trial today into the historical accounting of the Indian trust fund.

Elouise Cobell, a member of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana, sued the Interior and Treasury departments in June 1996. She asked for an accounting of the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust.

A judge ruled for Cobell in December 1999, ordering the government to conduct the accounting. But there is still no answer on how much money, if any, Indian beneficiaries are owed for the use of their land for oil, gas, grazing, rights-of-way and other activities.

Judge James Robertson is presiding over the case. He wants the government to prove that its accounting plan is adequate.

The trial takes place in Courtroom 23A of the federal district courthouse. It is expected to start every day at 9:30am and end at 5pm.

Get the Story:
American Indian lawsuit sparked by Montana woman being heard (KPAX 10/9)

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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