Lawyers representing the 3,200-member tribe in north central Oklahoma say the lawsuit is the first earthquake-related litigation filed in a tribal court. Once a tribal court judgment is made, it can be taken to a state district court for enforcement just like any other judgment, Professor Robertson said, but that enforcement action would not subject the judgment to any appeals in state court. Curt Marshall, one of the lawyers representing the Pawnee Nation, said the lawsuit was filed in tribal court primarily so that the Pawnee Nation could assert its sovereignty. Advertisement Continue reading the main story“The tribe has jurisdiction over civil matters to enforce judgments within its jurisdiction, including judgments over non-Indians,” Mr. Marshall said. Chad Warmington, the president of the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association, said that while the tribal jurisdiction was unique, the lawsuit itself was not a surprise.

Source: New York Times March 04, 2017 16:45 UTC