T hi s di s pos i t i on i s nota ppr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on a nd i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R
. 36- 3.

T he pa ne l una ni m ous l y c onc l ude s thi s c a s e i s s ui t a bl e f orde c i s i on ** w ith o u t o r a l a r g u m e n t. See F ed. R
. A pp . P
. 34 (a )( 2). NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T

B A N K O F A M E R IC A , N
. A
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e n d a n t - A p p e lla n t, W I LLI A M BI LLS; W I N N EM U CCA COLONY COUN CI L,

D ef endant s - C ou nt er - cl ai m an t s -A p p el l an t s, S H A R O N W A S S O N ; e t a l.,

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# FI LED OC T 14 2010 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U
. S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS- 2-

T he H onor a bl e K e vi n T hom a s D uf f y , U ni t e d S t a t e s D i s tr i c tJ udge f or ** * the S outhe r n D i s tr i c tof N e w Y or k, s i t t i ng by de s i gna t i on. B ef ore: F E RN A N D E Z and S IL V E R M A N , C i rc ui tJudg es , and D U F F Y , D i stri ct Judg e. *** A p p e lla n ts

— W illia m B ills a n d th e W in n e m u c c a C o lo n y C o u n c il a n d its C ha i r m a n L i nda A y e r( the “ B i l l s G ro u p ”)— a ppe a l f r om the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s gr a ntof
sum m ary j ud gm enti n favor of A pp el l ee s— S haron W as son and the W i nn em ucca I n d ia n C o lo n y C o u n c il ( th e “W a s s o n G r o u p ” )

— a w a r d in g th e a p p r o x im a te ly $400, 000. 00 he l d i n a B a nk of A m e r i c a a c c ountt o A ppe l l e e s . W e ha ve j ur i s di c t i on p u r s u a n tt o 2 8 U
. S. C. § 1 2 9 1 , a n d w e a f f i r m. T hi s c a s e be ga n w he n W i nne m uc c a I ndi a n C ol ony C o u n ci l C ha i r m a n G l e nn W as son w as m urdered on F ebruary 22 , 20 00
. O n A ug ust28 , 20 00 , B ank o f A m er i ca f ile d a c o m p la in t in in te rp le a d e rp u r s u a n t to R u le 2 2 o f th e F e d e r a l R u le s o f

C iv il P r o c e d u r e to r e s o lv e a d is p u te b e tw e e n th e tr ib a l f a c tio n s a s to w h o h a d a u th o r ity to
us e a ba n k a c c o u n t o p e n e d i n th e n a me o f “ W i n n e mu c c a I n d i a n Co l o n y . ” Y e a r s of pr otr a c t e d l i t i ga t i on e ns ue d i n tr i ba l a nd f e de r a l co u rt s. E ve ntua l l y , thr ough part i ci pat i on i n the N i nt h C i rc ui t ’ s m edi at i on proces s, on A ug ust1, 20 02 , the part i es
s t i pul a t e d t o the a ppoi nt m e ntof a s pe c i a l a ppe l l a t e pa ne l t o he a ra r gum e nta nd t o i s s ue a bi nd i ng , no n-appeal abl e dec i si on . T he spec i al appel l at e p anel consi st ed of a panel
o f ju d g e s f r o m th e S io u x N a tio n ( th e “M in n e s o ta P a n e l” )
.- 3-

T h e M in n e s o ta P a n e l is s u e d its d e c is io n o n A u g u s t 1 6 , 2 0 0 2 ( t h e “M in n e s o ta P a ne l O r de r ” )
. T he M i nne s ot a P a ne l f ound tha tthe va l i d tr i ba l c ounc i l i nc l ude d the f ol l ow i ng pe opl e : S ha r on W a s s on, T hom a s W a s s on, W i l l i a m B i l l s , E l ve r i ne C a s tr o,
a nd T hom a s M a gi e r a unt i l hi s de at h
. A s s uc h, the pa ne l s t a t e d tha t“ a l l s ubs e que nt
a c t i vi t i e s of

the B i l l s C ounc i l a r e f ound t o be unc ons t i t u t i o n al an d i nva l i d. ” T he W a s s on G r oup m ove d f or s um m a r y j udgm e nt ba s e d on the M i nne s ot a P a ne l O r de ron A u g u s t 3 0 , 2 0 0 2
. T he di s tr i c tc ourt d en i ed the W a s s on G r oup’ s m ot i on w i thoutpr e j udi c e a nd
a f f or de d the B i l l s G r oup a l m os t f i ve y e a r s t o f

ur the r e xha us ttr i ba l r e m e di e s . D ur i ng tha tt i m e , the I nt e r - T r i ba l C our t of A ppe a l s i s s ue d s e ve r a l or de r s , w hi c h a r e noti n the
re cord i n ful l before the di stri ctcourt or on appeal , addres si ng the i ss ues i n t hi s c as e. H ow ever , on M ay 17 , 20 07 , the Int er -T ri bal C ou rtof A pp ea l s, sua s po nt e, i ss ued an
or de rdi s m i s s i ng the c a s e st at i n g tha ti tha d no a ppe l l a t e j ur i s di c t i on. T he W a s s on grou p renew ed i t s m ot i on for sum m ary j ud gm ent base d on the M i nn es ot a P anel O rder
. C oncl u d i n g t h atthe pa r t i e s ha d e xha us t e d the i rtr i ba l r e m e di e s a nd tha tthe de c i s i on of the M i nne s ot a P a ne l w a s bi ndi ng a nd non- a ppe a l a bl e , the di s tr i c t c our tgr a nt e d the- 4-

T hi s c ou rtas ked t he part i es t o b ri ef w hether thi s app ea l i s t i m el y und er 1 R u l e 6 ( a ) o f

th e F e d e r a l R u l e s o f

C i v i l P r o c e d u r e . Af

t e rc a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n , we concl ud e thatun der the vers i on of R ul e 6(a )( 2) thatw as i n eff ec tatthe t i m e that th e B i l l s Gr o u p f

i l e d i t s R u l e 5 9 ( e ) m o t i o n , th e a p p e a l i s t i m e l y , a n d , a s s u c h , we have j uri sdi ct i on t o con si der i ton the m er i t s. S ee F ED . R. C IV . P. 6( a ) ( 2) ( e f f e c t i ve u n til D e c .1 , 2 0 0 9 ) ( W e s t 2 0 0 9 )
. W asso n G ro u p ’ s m o t i o n fo r su m m ary j u d g m en tan d d en i ed th e B i l l s G ro u p ’ s cr o ss
m ot i on. T hi s t i m e l y a ppe a l f ol l ow e d. 1 T h i s c o u r t r e v i e w s a d i s tr i c t c o u r t ’ s g r a n t o f s u mma r y j u d g me n t d e novo. B rod h eim v . C ry , 58 4 F
. 3d 12 62 , 12 67 (9th C i r. 20 09 ). G ener al l y, the rul e of tri bal
e xha us t i on r e qui r e s tha tf e de r a l c our t s gi ve pr e c e de nc e t o tr i ba l c our t s t o de t e r m i ne i n t he fi rs ti nst ance the ext ent of thei r o w n j uri sdi ct i on t o h ea r a part i cul arca se . S ee I ow a M ut . I ns . C o. v. L a P l a nt e , 480 U
. S
. 9, 14 ( 1987) ; N a t ’ l F a r m e r s U ni on I ns . C o.
v. C row , 47 1 U
. S
. 84 5, 85 6– 57 (198 5). F eder al court s m ustenforce tri bal court de c i s i ons unde rpr i nc i pl e s of c om i ty , unl e s s “ the tr i ba l c our te i the rl a c ke d j ur i s di c t i on or deni ed the l osi ng party du e proces s of l aw . ” A T & T C orp. v. C oeur D ’ A l ene T ri be, 295 F
. 3d 899, 904 ( 9th C i r . 2002)
. A j udge m a y di s m i s s a c a s e s ua s pont e f orl a c k of j uri sdi ct i on , bu t that po w eri s s ubj ec tt o t he dem ands of du e proces s. C al
. D i vers i fi ed P r om ot i ons , I nc . v. M us i c k, 505 F
. 2d 278, 280 ( 9th C i r . 1 974)
. I n r e vi e w i ng a d eci si o n t o d i sm i ss fo r l ack o f j u ri sd i ct i o n su a sp o n t e, th e rev i ew i n g co u rtm u st consi der, “ al l of the ci rc u m stan ce s . . . i n d et er m i ni ng w hether the abse nce of not i ce- 5-

a s t o the pos s i bi l i ty of

di s m i s s a l or the f

a i l ur e t o hol d a n a dve r s a r y he a r i ng r e nde r s the di sm i ss al vo i d. ” I d. (i nt ernal qu ot at i on m ar ks and ci t at i on om i t t ed). W e c on cl ud e thatthe part i es exhaust ed thei r tri bal re m edi es . T he Int er -T ri bal C our tof

A ppe a l s de t erm i ne d tha ti tdi d notha ve j ur i s di c t i on. U nde rthe
c ir c u m s ta n c e s o f

th is c a s e , th e p a r tie s h a v e b e e n a f f o r d e d m o r e th a n d u e p r o c e s s in both tr i ba l a nd f

e de r a l c our t . A nd, i n a ny e ve nt , the B i l l s G r oup w ai v e d i t s due pr oc e s s a r gum e ntby f

a i l i ng t o r a i s e i tpr o p er l y be f or e the di s tr i c tc our torof f e ra ny
excuse for s uch fai l ure. S ee R ai ns v. F l i nn (I n re R ai ns), 42 8 F
. 3d 89 3, 90 2 (9t h C i r. 2005)
. Th u s , w e r e c o g n i z e th e I n t e r - Tr i b a l Co u r t o f A p p e a l s ’ s d i s mi s s a l b a s e d on p r in c ip le s o f

c o m ity . S e e C o e u rD ’A le n e T r ib e , 2 9 5 F .3 d a t 9 0 4
. F ur the r , w e a gr e e w i th the di s tr i c tc our tt o the e xt e nt t h at i tr e c ogni z e d the M in n e s o ta P a n e l O r d e ro n p r in c ip le s o f c o m ity ; h o w e v e r , w e d o s o o n s lig h tly d if f e r e n t g r o u n d s . S e e R a m ir e z v . C a s tr o , 3 6 5 F .3 d 7 5 5 , 7 6 2 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) . F ir s t, th e W a s s o n G r o u p s u b m itte d c r e d ib le e v id e n c e t h a t b o th p a r tie s a n d th e M in n e s o ta P a n e l c o n s id e r e d th e M in n e s o ta P a n e l O r d e rb in d in g a n d n o n - a p p e a la b le . T h e B ills G roup prov i ded n o evi dence t o t he cont ra ry . S ee R i vera v. N at ’ l R
. R
. P as se ng er C orp. , 33 1 F
. 3d 10 74 , 10 78 (9th C i r. 20 03 ). F urther, the deci si on re nd er ed by T ri bal J u d g e S w a n s o n th a t th e B i l l s G r o u p u r g e s th is c o u r t to e n f o r c e is n o t e n title d to
re cogn i t i on as i t“ i s i ncon si st entw i th t he part i es ’ cont ra ctual choi ce of forum
. . . ”,- 6-

nam el y the M i nn es ot a P anel
. S ee W i l son v . M ar chi ng t on , 12 7 F
. 3d 80 5, 81 0 (9t h C i r. 19 97 ). T hu s, w e a ff

i rm the di stri ctcourt ’ s j ud gm entre cogn i zi ng the M i nn es ot a P anel O rder
. F i nal l y, as a m att er of pri nci pl e, coun se l ar e r em i nd ed thatthi s c ou rthas rul es tha ta r e t o be f

ol l ow e d. I f

s om e thi ng i s t o be r e l i e d upon by thi s c our t , i tm u st be ent er ed i nt o t he re cord of the tri al court and r eprodu ce d i n the E xcerpt s of R ec ord as
re qu i re d b y 9th C i rc ui tR ul e 30-1. 3. S ee 9 TH C IR . R
. 30 -1. 3. R ul e 2 8 o f the F eder al R u le s o f A p p e lla te P r o c e d u r e r e q u ir e s p a r tie s t o s u p p o r t f a c tu a l a lle g a tio n s w ith approp ri at e r ef

er ence s t o t he re cord. S ee F ED . R. C IV . P. 2 8
. I n e g r e g i o u s c a s e s , we have s umma r i l y a f

f i r me d the tr i a l c ou r t ’ s j ud gme nt a nd di s mi s s e d the a pp e al w hen part i es have act ed i n com pl et e di sr eg ar d o f these rul es . S ee , e. g. , C m ty. C om m er ce B a nk v. O ’ B r i e n ( I n r e O ’ B r i e n) , 312 F
. 3d 1135, 1136 ( 9th C i r . 2002) ; N / S C orp. v. L i berty M ut . Ins. C o. , 12 7 F
. 3d 11 45 , 11 46 (9th C i r. 19 97 ). H e r e , the B i l l s G r oup di d not i nc l ude a n E xc e rpt s of R e c or d w i th the i rope ni ng br i e f
. T he B i l l s G r oup’ s ope ni ng br i e f l a c ks a ppr opr i a t e r e c or d c i t a t i ons . H a d the W a s s on G r oup not f

i l e d a S uppl e m e nt a l E xc e rpt s of R e c or d, w e w oul d ha ve t o s c our the di s tr i c tc our tr e c or d f orthe de c i s i ons a ppe a l e d f r om an d othe rpe r t i ne ntpor t i ons of the re cord. E v en i n t he di stri ctcourtre cord, m any of the exhi bi t s, i ncl ud i ng vi t al tr ib a l c o u r t ru lin g s , w e r e s u b m itte d o n ly in p a r t. F o re x a m p le , th e B i l l s G r o u p o n ly- 7-

s ubm i t t e d thr e e s e l e c t i ve pa ge s of the I nt e r - T r i ba l C our t of A ppe a l s ’ s M a r c h 19, 2004 deci si on on the j uri sdi ct i on of the M i nn es ot a P anel , and n o p ar ty provi d ed that de c i s i on i n i t s e xc e rpt s of r e c or d t o thi s c our t . D ue t o the c om pl e t e di s r e s pe c tf orthe
rul e s of thi s c our ta nd the rul e of l a w , w e s e r i ous l y c ons i de r e d s um m a r i l y di s m i s s i ng th is a p p e a l. H o w e v e r , o n th e u n iq u e f a c ts o f th is c a s e , w e c o n c lu d e d th a t th e c lie n ts
s h o u ld n o t b e p u n is h e d f o rth e f a ilin g s o f th e ira tto r n e y s . T o th e e x te n t th a t th e B ills G r o u p m a d e a r g u m e n ts n o t d ir e c tly a d d r e s s e d in th is
o p in io n , h a v in g b e e n f

u lly c o n s id e r e d b y th is c o u r t, w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e y c o m p le te ly la c k m e r it. AF F I RME D.