Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri (R) is making a last-minute appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes of figuring out who will represent the state in Monday's land-into-trust hearing.

Carcieri wants the court to designate Theodore B. Olson, a former Bush administration attorney, as the state's sole presenter. He made the request after trying, unsuccessfully, to get officials in the town of Charlestown to stop supporting their Indian affairs solicitor, Joseph Larisa Jr.

Carcieri and Attorney General Patrick Lynch claim the court could cancel the hearing because the state hasn't resolve its dispute. They have slammed Larisa repeatedly, calling him childish and selfish.

At issue in Carcieri v. Kempthorne is whether the Narragansett Tribe can acquire land under the Indian Reorganization Act even though the tribe wasn't recognized at the time of the act's passage in 1934. If the tribe can acquire new lands, the state claims jurisdiction over them.

Get the Story:
Decision on lawyer in Indian land case goes to final bell (The Providence Journal 10/31)
R.I. officials fed up with squabble over speaking time at U.S. Supreme Court (Legal Newsline 10/30)

Supreme Court Documents:
Docket Sheet | Questions Presented | Order List

1st Circuit Decisions:
En Banc (July 20, 2007) | Panel (February 9, 2005)

Briefs and Other Documents:
Carcieri v. Kempthorne (NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project

Relevant Laws:
Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act (US Code)

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