Native America Calling: A focus on Native legal rights bears fruit

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Native America Calling: A focus on Native legal rights bears fruit

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

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A focus on Native legal rights bears fruit

Before a joint legal project between the Native American Rights Fund and the National Congress of American Indians started 25 years ago, tribes were losing 80 percent of their cases at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now, tribes are winning 70 percent of the cases heard by the highest court in the land. That’s from an analysis just put out by the Tribal Supreme Court Project in conjunction with its 25th anniversary.

Tune into Native America Calling to look at some of those wins and losses and what they add up to a quarter century later.

Also, get updates on two important lawsuits in Oklahoma. A class action lawsuit claims the federal government owes as many as 10,000 Native land owners compensation for oil and gas development.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled against a novel jurisdiction agreement between the Muscogee Nation and the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)[/caption]

Guests on Native America Calling

Hazel James (Chickasaw), plaintiff in Tyson v. United States

Peggy Immohotichey (Chickasaw), plaintiff in Tyson v. United States

Melody McCoy (Cherokee), senior staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund

Jason Salsman (Muscogee), press secretary for the Muscogee Nation

Jeffrey Nelson, partner of mctlaw, manager of the Indian Law Practice Group

Tribal Supreme Court Project 25th Anniversary at National Congress of American Indians, from left: Leonard Fineday @NCAI1944, Melody McCoy @NDNrights and Tracy Labin Rhodes.

Labin Rhodes was first @NDNrights attorney on Tribal Supreme Court Project. #DC pic.twitter.com/HfSOHeMZGN
— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2026

“Improve the win-loss record”: Tracy Labin Rhodes explains origins of Tribal Supreme Court Project, to help tribes with cases at the highest court in the United States.@NCAI1944 and @NDNRights held pivotal first meeting in Washington, DC, on fateful day—9/11/2001. pic.twitter.com/k9BNoSuIsn
— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2026

“We still need to do more”: Melody McCoy currently leads the Tribal Supreme Court Project. @NCAI1944 and @NDNRights are celebrating 25th anniversary of initiative to help tribes with Supreme Court cases. Anniversary report coming later this year. #DC pic.twitter.com/5HFILMVAwx
— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2026

“It’s so critical that we keep our united front”: Leonard Fineday, General Counsel for National Congress of American Indians, on importance of Tribal Supreme Court Project in protecting treaties and sovereignty. @NCAI1944 @NDNRights pic.twitter.com/1r3xqDecDQ
— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2026