March 16, 2024. Great Lakes Consent Decree fight may be heading for Oral Arguments in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit sometime in 2024.
In 2022 Turtle Blog Reported the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Legal Maneuvers to protect our tribe's rights reserved under the 1836 Treaty of Washington. In August 2023 United States District Judge Paul Maloney, of the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN NORTHERN DIVISION issued an order ruling on the Great Lakes Consent Decree ruling against the tribe stating "IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ motion to reconsider the indefinite extension of the 2000 Great Lake Fishing Consent Decree (ECF No. 2046) is DISMISSED as moot. IT IS SO ORDERED. Date: August 24, 2023 " . Following this order the tribe filed to appeal the ruling.
The update on this matter is that the UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT has ordered that the Appellant’s Brief is due by April 3, 2024. The Appellee’s Brief is due May 10, 2024. Parties wishing to have Oral Arguments heard on this matter must petition the court when filing their briefs.
While the tribe may be losing a public relations battle regarding this matter in some peoples view, the Sault Tribe's rights outlined in the Great Lakes Consent Agreement is a matter that many tribal members believe is worth fighting for. We project that if our tribe loses the appeal they will file to have this case heard at the U.S. Supreme Court and if they win the other-side will do the same.
