A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to resolve a leadership dispute within the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.

Leslie Harjo filed suit against Janice Boswell. The two women each claim to be in charge of the tribe but Judge Stephen Friot said he lacked authority to hear the case.

"Jurisdiction to resolve internal tribal disputes and to interpret tribal constitutions and laws lies with the Indian tribes and not the district courts," Friot said in his decision.

Boswell was elected governor and Harjo was elected lieutenant governor. Harjo and her supporters claim to have ousted Boswell, who remains recognized as leader by the Bureau of Indian Affairs although some administrative appeals might change that.

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Wandrie-Harjo v. Prairie Chief-Boswell.

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Federal judge dismisses Okla. tribal case (AP 8/15)