"When the Founding Fathers created a constitutional guarantee of speedy trials, it's a good bet they didn't envision having major litigation plodding along 12 years after the filing of a lawsuit.

But since its beginning, this particular case has made a mockery of every principle of due process. A class-action suit was filed in 1996 by a group of American Indians who claim that since 1887 they and their ancestors were swindled out of billions of dollars in oil, gas, grazing, timber and other royalties overseen by the U.S. Department of Interior.

The fact that these original Americans were short-changed is not in question. The issue is now how much it will take to settle and close the case.

A $58 billion claim has been filed, but government lawyers are arguing that's too much. The plaintiffs at one time offered to settle for $27.5 billion and the government countered with an offer of about $7 billion. Neither was accepted, and here we are in court again."

Get the Story:
Editorial: And on it goes (The Yakima Herald-Republic 6/13)

Trial Transcripts:
June 9 AM | June 9 PM | June 10 AM | June 10 PM | June 11 | June 12 AM

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