Document: 538 U.S. 701 INYO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, ET AL.v.PAIUTE-SHOSHONE INDIANS OF THE BISHOP COMMUNITY COLONY AL. No. 02-281. Supreme Court of United States. Argued March 31, 2003. Decided May 19, The Bishop Paiute Tribe in California chartered and wholly owns the Gaming Corporation, which operates manages Palace Casino (Casino), a tribal gaming operation. When Inyo County District Attorney asked for employment records three employees under investigation welfare fraud, responded that its privacy policy precluded release without employees' consent. Attorney, on showing probable cause, then obtained executed search warrant authorizing payroll employees. subsequently six other reiterated policy, but offered to accept as evidence consent redacted copy last page each employee's signed application. refused offer. To ward off any additional searches, Corporation filed suit Federal against Sheriff, their individual official capacities, (County). Asserting federal-question jurisdiction 28 U. S. C. §§ 1331, 1337, 1343(i)(3)(4), federal common law Indian affairs, sought injunctive declaratory relief vindicate status sovereign immune from state processes law, establish was preempted extent it purported authorize seizure records. also 42 § 1983, including compensatory damages, alleging defendants violated Tribe's Corporation's Fourth Fourteenth Amendment rights right self-government. Court, defendants' motion, dismissed complaint, holding, inter alia, immunity did not categorically preclude Casino's personnel Ninth Circuit reversed, holding execution interfered with "the reservation Indians make own laws be ruled by them." Williams v. Lee, 358 217, 220. Acknowledging prior decision held self-government is protected court concluded that, this case, 1983 claim could maintained because protection an unlawful seizure, secured therefore within 1983's compass. Held: 1. may sue here claims. Section permits "citizen[s]" "other person[s] jurisdiction" States seek legal equitable "person[s]" who, color deprive them federally rights. Although case does squarely present question, assumes tribes, like States, are subject 1983. See Will Michigan Dept. State Police, 491 58. issue pivotal whether tribe qualifies claimant — "person Qualification "person" who maintain particular depends "upon bare analysis word `person,'" Pfizer Inc. Government India, 434 308, 317, "legislative environment" appears, Georgia Evans, 316 159, 161. There no allegation lacked cause or otherwise defective. It only virtue asserted "sovereign" claims County's processes. designed secure private government encroachment, see Will, S., at 66, advance sovereign's prerogative withhold relevant criminal investigation. For example, member complaining violation would qualified But, persons, have appropriately based cause. Tribe, accordingly, Pp. 708-712. 2. has explained, trial appellate courts clearly decided, what prescription if any, enables action establishing free This remanded focused consideration resolution jurisdictional question. P. 712. 291 F. 3d 549, vacated remanded. GINSBURG, J., delivered opinion REHNQUIST, O'CONNOR, SCALIA, KENNEDY, SOUTER, THOMAS, BREYER, JJ., joined. STEVENS, concurring judgment, post, p. 713. 1 CERTIORARI TO UNITED STATES COURT APPEALS FOR NINTH CIRCUIT. 2 John Douglas Kirby argued petitioners. With him briefs Paul N. Bruce. 3 Barbara McDowell amicus curiae. her brief were Solicitor General Olson, Assistant Sansonetti, Deputy Kneedler, Clark, Elizabeth Ann Peterson, Ethan G. Shenkman. 4 Reid Peyton Chambers respondents. Anne D. Noto, Colin Cloud Hampson, Arthur Lazarus, Jr., James T. Meggesto.* 5 JUSTICE GINSBURG Court. 6 stems county's Native American members alleged off-reservation crimes. Pursuing investigation, county enforcement officers state-court casino kept reservation. sued (County), Sheriff court, asserting seeking declaratory, injunctive, monetary relief. 7 parties and, curiae, agree We hold situation presented, qualify Whether federal-court arises some than precisely addressed, decided. remand close specific threshold 8 * recognized located Reservation California. owned operation run Regulatory Act, 102 Stat. 2467, 25 2701 et seq. 9 In 1999, Department Health Human Services (Department) received information Social indicating had failed report earnings applications benefits. Brief Petitioners 4-5. According County, respond when requested they reconcile apparent discrepancies between application forms. Id., 5. forwarded matter Attorney's Office, which, turn, discrepancies. 6. That request, asserts, ignored. Ibid. 10 February 2000, Office records, explaining investigating "alleged fraud." 554 (CA9 2002). 11 Superior authorized On 23, warrant. They so over objection officials. Those officials urged premises belonging tribe.1 lacking cooperation cut locks storage facility containing seized timecard entries, registers, check registers relating employees; garnered contained quarterly wage withholding reports submitted State. Each item least one reference employee 12 July statement individuals applying public assistance review offer.2 13 naming County. "federal affairs," App. 97, ¶ 1, 105-114, ¶¶ 26-53. complaint damages. regard, acting beyond scope "without authorization law" executing warrant,3 rights, 109, 38; id., 108-110, 33-39. 14 November 22, complaint. Tribal immunity, held, Taking into account competing interests "[i]n interest fair uniform California's should able execute warrant[s] property." Pet. Cert. 62a. capacities. 57a-58a. 15 Appeals reversed Court's judgment dismissing action. "[E]xecution Tribe," said, "interferes `the them.'" 3d, 558 (quoting 220 (1959)). court's view, "balanced stake" determine enforceable. 559. precedent, advanced "a more categorical approach denying ... absent waiver clear grant authority Congress." (citing Oklahoma Tax Comm'n Chickasaw Nation, 515 450, 458 (1995)). 16 "[E]ven balancing test appropriate framework," added, balance favors ruling Tribe." policies regarding "promote [self-government] interests," reasoned; notably, those fostered trusting relationship members," "affect[ed] Casino, predominant source economic development revenue." appeals State's countervailing "interest potential fraud," thought incumbent upon further "through far less intrusive means." 17 shielded immunity. "[A] reasonable officer," "would known seizing property land outside officer's jurisdiction." 568. acknowledged precedent 568, n. Hoopa Valley Nevins, 881 2d 657 (1989)); Amicus Curiae 29, 15. But concluded, "protection seizure," 7. December 2, 2002, we granted certiorari. 537 1043. II 18 Central our question actionable provision rights.4 58 (1989), amenable "[I]n enacting 1983," "Congress intend override well-established immunities defenses law," "[t]he doctrine immunity." 67. agree, will assume purposes opinion, Union, 35-38; Tr. Oral Arg. 49; Kiowa Okla. Manufacturing Technologies, Inc., 523 751, 754 (1998) ("an where Congress waived immunity"). 19 1983.5 maintains not, invoking "longstanding interpretive presumption `person' include sovereign," "may disregarded affirmative statutory intent contrary." 7-8 Vermont Agency Natural Resources ex rel. Stevens, 529 765, 780-781 (2000)); 64. Nothing text, purpose, history contends, overcomes "`person' sovereign." (some internal quotation marks omitted). Furthermore, urges, given excludes sovereigns anomalous give same different meaning appears later sentence. 8; Brown Gardner, 513 115, 118 (1994) (the "presumption term used mean thing throughout statute" "surely most vigorous repeated sentence"); cf. Lafayette Louisiana Power & Light Co., 435 389, 397 (1978) (because municipalities "persons" entitled antitrust laws, also, principle, capable being laws). 20 responds intended "to provide powerful civil remedy `against all forms rights.'" Respondents 45 Monell New York City Servs., 436 658, 700-701 (1978)). achieve remedial maintains, "broadly construed." Monell, 684-685 (internal omitted)). "have been especially vulnerable infringement states." (citing, Kansas Indians, Wall. 737 (1867) (state taxation lands); Minnesota Mille Lacs Band Chippewa 526 172 (1999) hunt, fish, gather ceded Mississippi Choctaw Holyfield, 490 30 (1989) (tribal child custody proceedings); Cabazon Mission 480 202 (1987) attempt regulate gambling land)). guard such infringements, read encompass suits brought tribes. 21 As contexts, qualification 317 (1978), 161 (1942). Thus, Georgia, State, purchaser asphalt shipped interstate commerce, redress Sherman Act restraint trade. 160-163. Similarly, Pfizer, foreign nation, antibiotics, ranked pharmaceuticals manufacturers laws. 309-320; 787, (deciding qui tam liability False Claims leaving open "can `persons' commencing FCA action" (emphasis deleted)); Cleveland Baseball 532 200, 213 (2001) ("Although generally presume identical words parts act meaning, rigid, well vary meet law." marks, brackets, citations 22 97-105, 1-25, 33-39; (Court "find[s] agents added)). acknowledges, 20, Accordingly, claims.6 III 23 addition arise affairs." Supra, 706 1). neither nor carefully considered, short, foundation action, unclear "aris[es] under." 1331. 24 vacated, proceedings consistent opinion. 26 ordered. Notes: Briefs ofamici curiae urging reversal al. Bill Lockyer, California, Manuel M. Medeiros, General, Richard Frank, Chief Robert L. Mukai, Senior Sara J. Drake, Supervising Marc A. Le Forestier, Attorneys respective follows: William H. Pryor, Alabama, Blumenthal Connecticut, Charlie Crist Florida, Thomas Miller Iowa, Phill Kline Kansas, W. Drew Edmondson Oklahoma, Hardy Myers Oregon, Lawrence E. Long South Dakota, Mark Shurtleff Utah; Los Angeles Steve Cooley Mr. Cooley, pro se, George Palmer, Roberta Schwartz, Brent Dail Riggs; Sheriffs' Association R. Coble Martin Mayer; National Brandt. amici affirmance Riyaz Kanji, Kaighn Smith, Ian Heath Gershengorn; Eastern Tribes, Taylor III, Eleanor David Reiser. A Mexico Patricia Madrid, Mexico, Stuart Bluestone, Christopher Coppin, Terry Goddard Arizona, Mike McGrath Montana, Christine O. Gregoire Washington. dispute, "arm" purposes. asAmicus 11-14. At oral argument, defended refusal prohibited releasing pages applications. assured "[t]here regulation requirement" prevented sharing TribeId., 21. entire controversy, thus might avoided understood allowed accommodation Tribe. dispute crimes 29. portion reads: "Every person statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, usage, Territory Columbia, subjects, causes subjected, citizen thereof deprivation privileges, Constitution shall liable party injured equity, proper proceeding redress." Courts expressed divergent views SeeNative Village Venetie IRA Council Alaska, 155 1150, 1152, 1998) (concluding Tribes persons 1983); Vantage Co. Table Mountain Rancheria, 292 1091, 1097, 2002) ("[I]t doubtful [a] qua `citizen person' eligible bring 1983." White Apache Williams, 810 844, 865, 1987) (Fletcher, dissenting))); Illinois Chicago, 137 474, 477 (CA7 (stating dictum [§ 1983]"); Pennsylvania Porter, 659 306, 314-318 (CA3 1981) (en banc) (holding parens patriae capacity). hardly "demean[s] tribes," seepost, 713 (STEVENS, judgment), bracket Union regard. judgment. my however, prerogatives "rights, laws" bottom, rather relying Constitution, rests judge-made "developed almost accident." 756 (1998). Because many both unjust, 760, 764-766 dissenting), I accord "laws" referenced demeaning tribes deny access available whose constitutional law. text provides "person[s] [State law,]" person" adequately explains why do sheds light victim violation. ordinary statutes,1 purpose support conclusion invoke protections statute violated.2 allegations challenged unquestionably lawful commercial corporation. ante, 711 ("There defective"). entirely sovereign, accorded special casinos enjoy. ibid. sort status, enacted. while set aside, join Dictionary passed just two months before supply rules construction legislation, provided extend applied bodies politic corporate...." Feb. 25, 1871, 431 Our inWill 58, 65 fully view. rested rule intends alter `usual Government,' must intention `unmistakably language statute.' Atascadero Hospital Scanlon, 473 234, 242 (1985); Pennhurst School Halderman, 465 89, 99 (1984)."

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