The Bureau of Indian Affairs can acquire 39 acres in trust for the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today.

The tribe filed a land-into-trust application in 2004 for 39 acres. The property houses a gas station and a convenience store, and is also used for agricultural purposes.

The county challenged the BIA's approval of the application on numerous grounds, all of which were rejected by the 8th Circuit in a unanimous decision. Included were constitutional challenges to the land-into-trust process that have been considered more than once by the appeals court in other cases originating from South Dakota.

Turtle Talk posted documents from the case, Charles Mix County v. DOI.

8th Circuit Decision:
Charles Mix County v. DOI (April 6, 2012)

Related Stories:
Two federal court rulings on Yankton Sioux Tribe land-into-trust (4/4)