The Oneida Nation of New York will continue to fight for its land claim, tribal representative Raymond Halbritter said.

The tribe filed the lawsuit over its 250,000-acre reservation in 1974. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals killed the claim on Monday and essentially said the tribe waited too long to take action.

“Of course we're going to appeal this decision,” Halbritter said on a conference call with reporters, The Utica Observer-Dispatch reported. “This is not the end.”

The tribe could ask the full 2nd Circuit to rehear the case. After that, an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has heard three Oneida land cases in the past 40 years, is likely.

Get the Story:
Halbritter: Oneidas to appeal claim ruling to U.S. Supreme Court (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 8/11)
Halbritter ‘concerned’ over ruling (The Oneida Dispatch 8/10)

2nd Circuit Decision:
Oneida Nation v. Oneida County/Madison County (August 9, 2010)

Sherrill v. Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

Cayuga Land Claim Decision:
Cayuga Nation v. New York (June 28, 2005)

Related Stories:
Turtle Talk: Oneida Nation ruling kills Eastern tribal land claims (8/10)
New York counties celebrate ruling in Oneida Nation land claim (8/10)
2nd Circuit rules against Oneida Nation in long running land case (8/9)