Cobell trust claim not based on damages

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2002

An attorney for the Native American Rights Fund said the Supreme Court's decisions on tribal trust cases probably won't affect the Cobell Indian trust fund lawsuit.

Keith Harper told The Lincoln Journal Star the Cobell claim was based on equitable relief for the management of individual Indian trust assets. The tribal cases, on the other hand, are based on money damages claims.

"There are monetary implications in that they have to correct the accounts," Harper told the paper.

The Cobell suit was filed in federal district court to compel the Department of Interior to fulfill its fiduciary obligations to 500,000 American Indians. It seeks reform of the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust and an accounting for the funds.

Get the Story:
High court hears cases involving tribal land (The Lincoln Journal Star 12/3)

Today on Indianz.Com:
U.S. pressed on trust duties (12/3)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp

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