Native women rallied at the U.S. Supreme Court on December 7, 2015, as the justices heard arguments in Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Photo by Indianz.Com

Another week has passed without a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in a closely-watched tribal jurisdiction case.

The justices only issued one ruling on Tuesday and it wasn't in Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. No other decisions are coming this week, SCOTUSBlog reported, which came as a surprise because the court was expected to release at least one more opinion on Wednesday.

"Maybe something just wasn't ready that appeared to be so last Friday," SCOTUSBlog reporter Lyle Denniston wrote in a liveblog this morning.

The justices heard arguments in the tribal jurisdiction case on December 7, 2015. The outcome will determine whether Dollar General, a publicly-traded company that reported $18.9 billion in net sales in 2014, must answer to a lawsuit filed in the courts of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

The company believes it did not explicitly submit to tribal court jurisdiction even though it operates a store on trust land under a lease with the tribe. A federal judge and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with that argument.

Dollar General is one of the oldest pending cases on the docket. According to the SCOTUSBlog, only four cases that were argued in October and November are older.

In contrast, the court acted more quickly in two other Indian law cases. The decision in Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin v. US was issued 55 days after oral argument and the decision in Nebraska v. Parker came 62 days after argument.

Both decisions were unanimous so the absence of of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February, did not affect the outcomes. But now that the court is down to eight members, it might be more difficult for them to arrive at a consensus in Dollar General.

The high court's last tribal jurisdiction case was Plains Commerce Bank v. Long from 2008. It was decided by a 5-4 vote.

"Any further delay in filling this vacancy could result in split decisions with serious implications for the nation and for Indian Country, such as with the Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians case," President Russell Begaye of the Navajo Nation said last month.

Supreme Court Documents:
Docket Sheet No. 13-1496 | Questions Presented | Oral Argument Transcript: Dollar General v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

5th Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (March 14, 2014)
Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (March 14, 2014)

Related Stories:
Supreme Court still hasn't issued decision in tribal jurisdiction case (4/21)
Supreme Court case prompts defense of tribal judiciary systems (4/19)
Supreme Court ready to hear fourth Indian law case on the docket (4/18)
Bill in Senate expands tribal jurisdiction over non-Indian offenders (04/14)
Vacancy on Supreme Court already impacts high-profile cases (03/30)
Leader of Navajo Nation pushes for action on Supreme Court pick (03/22)
Chair of Sault Ste. Marie Tribe calls for action on court nominee (03/17)
Supreme Court nominee comes with some Indian law experience (03/16)
Aaron Payment: Tribal sovereignty hangs in the balance at Supreme Court (02/29)
Stakes raised as Supreme Court weighs domestic violence case (2/16)
Ex-US Attorney welcomes review of domestic violence case (12/17)
Supreme Court agrees to review yet another Indian law dispute (12/14)
Matthew Fletcher: Supreme Court takes up tribal jurisdiction case (12/8)
Native women rally at Supreme Court for tribal jurisdiction case (12/7)
Steven Newcomb: Supreme Court ready to cut sovereignty again (12/7)
Peter d'Errico: Anti-Indian forces play hardball in Supreme Court (12/7)
Mike Myers: Tribal jurisdiction opponents flock to Supreme Court (12/04)
Native women schedule Quilt Walk for Justice at Supreme Court (12/01)
Former US Attorney backs review of domestic violence case (11/13)
Obama asks Supreme Court to hear domestic violence case (11/11)
Native women to rally at Supreme Court for upcoming case (11/11)
Vice President Joe Biden reflects on triumphs of Obama's Indian policies (10/28)
Tribes still waiting on funds from Violence Against Women Act (10/16)
Pioneering tribes share experiences with prosecuting non-Indians (10/7)
DOJ awards $97M in grants for public safety in Indian Country (09/16)
Alaska to recognize tribal domestic violence protection orders (07/31)
Congress fails to provide funds to help tribes comply with VAWA (07/29)
Ambassador Harper discusses violence against indigenous women (07/09)
9th Circuit divided on tribal convictions in domestic violence cases (7/7)
Native Sun News: Oglala leader blames deaths on domestic violence (07/06)
Supreme Court won't accept tribal domestic violence case (3/19)
Supreme Court won't hear Indian domestic violence case (02/21)
Two Indian domestic violence cases before Supreme Court (12/12)
10th Circuit allows use of tribal court conviction in federal court (7/27)
8th Circuit accepts tribal court convictions for federal prosecution (7/7)