Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, three weeks after undergoing surgery for pancreatic cancer.
Ginsburg, 76, was an eager participant in the first case of the day. It was US v. Navajo Nation, a long-running breach of trust case.
Ginsburg wrote the majority opinion the first time the court ruled on the case in March 2003. She held that the Navajo Nation failed to show how federal laws and regulations imposed a trust duty on the federal government to ensure the best possible deal for a coal mining lease with Peabody Energy.
The justices were concerned with the same question yesterday as they sought to determine whether the Federal Circuit Court of
Appeals properly revived the case based on laws and regulations that weren't considered in 2003.
Get the Story:Justice Ginsburg Returns to Work (The Washington Post 2/24)
On Return to Court, Ginsburg Is Quick to Question (The New York Times 2/24)
Navajo Coal Claim Back to Supreme Court (AP 2/23)
Trust battle heads back to Supreme Court today (The Gallup Independent 2/23) Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Docket Sheet: No. 07-1410 | Brief: Former Interior Secretaries | Brief: New Mexico, Arizona and Utah | Brief: Law Professors | More: NCAI-NARF Tribal Supreme Court Project Federal Circuit Decision:
Navajo Nation v. US (September 13, 2007) March 2003 Supreme Court Decision in US v. Navajo Nation:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Dissent [Souter] Related Stories:
Navajo Nation sees support on Supreme Court case (02/04)
Government files first brief in Navajo trust case (12/03)
Navajo Nation trust case on Supreme Court docket again (10/02)
Supreme Court to hear Navajo Nation trust case (10/1)
Supreme Court considers Indian law cases (9/30)
SCOTUSBlog: Supreme Court petitions to watch (09/19)
Bush seeks review of long-running Navajo trust case (5/19)
Court: Navajo Nation owed money for bungled lease (9/14)
Peabody takes coal lease dispute to high court (12/01)
Peabody loses another round in Navajo coal lease fight (6/16)
Judge won't dismiss Navajo Nation suit against Peabody (04/27)
Peabody continues top-level access at Interior (3/17)
Court opens window for Navajo Nation trust suit (10/27)
Court appears ready to toss Peabody appeal (04/15)
Supreme Court's trust rulings criticized (4/14)
Navajo Nation back in court over Peabody lease (4/8)
Effects of Supreme Court decision debated (03/07)
High court ruling makes 'passive' trustee of U.S. (3/5)
A mixed bag for Indian trust (3/5)