The attorney who filed the land-into-trust lawsuit that is now before the U.S. Supreme Court says he is being pressured to let a legal heavyweight present the case.

Joseph Larisa Jr., the assistant solicitor for Indian Affairs in the town of Charlestown, won't agree to Ted Olson, a former Bush administration official, arguing Carcieri v. Kempthorne on November 3. But he will agree to a coin toss to settle what he calls a "major impasse."

"That's not going to happen; it's not going to happen at all," Larisa tells The Legal Times of the push on behalf of Olson. "It will be like a dog chasing its tail until we have the coin toss."

Gov. Donald Carcieri (R) hired Olson after the case was accepted by the high court. Larisa believes he knows the issue -- whether the Interior Department can acquire trust land for the Narragansett Tribe and whether that land is subject to state jurisdiction -- best.

Get the Story:
"Massive Impasse" at the Supreme Court (The Legal Times 10/7)

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)

Related Stories:
U.S. Supreme Court adds Indian law cases to docket (10/7)
Arguments still not settled in land-into-trust case (10/7)
Narragansett Tribe won't argue at Supreme Court (10/6)
SCOTUSBlog: Narragansett land-into-trust case (9/17)
Former Bush lawyer paid $200K for land-into-trust case (9/12)
State argues over arguments in land-into-trust case (9/8)
Former Bush lawyer to argue land-into-trust case (6/6)
Court takes land-into-trust case (2/26)
U.S. Supreme Court accepts land-into-trust case (2/25)
High court weighs Narragansett land-into-trust (2/22)
Groups file brief in pending land-into-trust case (02/06)
Supreme Court brief backs land-into-trust (1/29)