Opinion ID: 900265
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Tribe's Participation in Arbitration

Text: [¶ 11.] Calvello relies on the Tribe's supposed acquiescence or participation in the arbitration proceeding as a waiver of its sovereign immunity. This reliance directly counters the strong presumption against such waivers. A waiver of sovereign immunity cannot be implied but must be unequivocally expressed. Santa Clara Pueblo, 436 U.S. at 58, 98 S.Ct. at 1677, 56 L.Ed.2d 106 (citations omitted); see also Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold Reservation v. Wold Engineering, 476 U.S. 877, 890, 106 S.Ct. 2305, 2313, 90 L.Ed.2d 881 (1986); Rosebud Sioux Tribe v. A & P Steel, Inc., 874 F.2d 550, 552 (8th Cir.1989); American Indian Agric., 780 F.2d at 1378-79 (tribe's sovereign immunity cannot be waived by implication in contract actions); Cohen v. Little Six, Inc., 543 N.W.2d 376, 379 (Minn.Ct.App.1996), aff'd 561 N.W.2d 889 (Minn.1997), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 118 S.Ct. 2059, 141 L.Ed.2d 137 (1998); F. Cohen, Handbook of Federal Indian Law 324 (2d ed 1982). [¶ 12.] The Tribal Chairman ordered the Tribe's attorney and accountant to participate in the arbitration. The General Council, however, the Tribe's decision-making body, took no part in, and, in fact, did not learn of the arbitration hearing until September 27, 1993, three days after it occurred. Based on a second hand assertion from his own answers to interrogatories, Calvello insists that the General Council did authorize participation in arbitration. He submits no direct proof in the form of a tribal resolution, an affidavit, or otherwise. See Home Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. First Nat'l Bank, 405 N.W.2d 655 (S.D.1987) (conclusory assertions insufficient); SDCL 15-6-56(e) (affidavits must be made on personal knowledge setting forth facts admissible in evidence). Without a clear expression of waiver by the Tribe's General Council either before or after the arbitration proceeding, the involvement or purported acquiescence of certain tribal officials cannot waive the Tribe's sovereign immunity. See Wichita and Affiliated Tribes of Oklahoma v. Hodel, 788 F.2d 765, 772 (D.C.Cir.1986) (citing United States v. United States Fidelity & Guar. Co., 309 U.S. 506, 60 S.Ct. 653, 84 L.Ed. 894 (1940)); Dillon v. Yankton Sioux Tribe Hous. Auth., 144 F.3d 581 (8th Cir.1998) (sue and be sued provision in tribal resolution insufficient waiver absent express contract to waive); cf. Sokaogon Gaming Enter. Corp. v. Tushie-Montgomery Assocs., Inc., 86 F.3d 656 (7th Cir. 1996) ( valid contract with arbitration clause agreed upon by both contractor and tribe constituted waiver of sovereign immunity for purposes enforcing arbitration). A waiver must be clear and unequivocal and must issue from a tribe's governing body, not from unapproved acts of tribal officials. [¶ 13.] Calvello further claims the Tribe's after-the-fact assertion of sovereign immunity came too late. Nothing in the law, however, supports such an argument. Like subject matter jurisdiction, tribal sovereign immunity can be raised at any time. See generally Shortbull v. Looking Elk, 677 F.2d 645, 650 (8th Cir.1982); Ramey Const. Co., Inc., 673 F.2d at 318. See also SDCL 15-6-12(h)(3) ( Whenever it appears by suggestion of the parties or otherwise that the court lacks jurisdiction of the subject matter, the court shall dismiss the action.)(emphasis added). Additionally, it must be noted that Calvello is not attempting to enforce the arbitrator's award in this suit. Although it may be said he is seeking relief similar to what the arbitrator awarded, it is clear Calvello is now bringing a wholly separate action. How, then, can a supposed waiver based on an agreement to arbitrate also act as a waiver for a separate lawsuit? Even if there was an agreement on arbitration, for purposes of sovereign immunity, consent to arbitrate is not consent to a lawsuit. Pan American Co. v. Sycuan Band of Mission Indians, 884 F.2d 416, 418-19 (9th Cir.1989)(finding waiver on basis of an arbitration clause would be impermissible because it would be finding consent by implication); cf. Val-U Constr. Co., 50 F.3d at 563 (concluding that entering valid arbitration agreement was a waiver of immunity with respect to suit to enforce arbitration). Accordingly, we find no waiver of the Tribe's sovereign immunity in the tribal attorney's unauthorized participation in arbitration proceedings.