Opinion ID: 684405
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 3 While riding his motorcycle on U.S. Highway 93 within the boundaries of the Flathead Reservation, Christian Mahler was struck by a car driven by Lynette Hinshaw. He died as a result of his injuries. 4 Christian Mahler was not an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation although he resided within the boundaries of the reservation with his parents, Kenneth and Gloria Mahler. Gloria Mahler is an enrolled member of the Tribes. 5 Lynette Hinshaw is not an enrolled member of the Tribes, but she does, and did at the time of the accident, live within the boundaries of the reservation. 6 Kenneth and Gloria Mahler filed an action for damages for wrongful death and a survivorship action against Hinshaw in the Tribal Court. Hinshaw appeared specially to challenge jurisdiction. The Tribal Court denied her motion to dismiss, and found jurisdiction because the accident occurred on the reservation and Gloria Mahler was an enrolled member of the Tribes. Hinshaw appealed to the Tribal Appellate Court, which affirmed the Tribal Court's decision.