Opinion ID: 213960
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether C.D.K. is a direct descendant of an original enrollee

Text: In order for the Citizenship Act's automatic citizenship provision to apply, Nielson must prove that C.D.K. was a Direct Descendant of an Original Enrollee. The district court admonished Appellees for not providing documentary evidence that clearly showed that C.D.K. had ancestors who were original enrollees. Nevertheless, the court found enough indirect evidence so as to conclude that no reasonable factfinder could conclude that C.D.K. is anything other than a direct descendant of an original enrollee of the Cherokee Nation. . . . (App. at 464.) The Ketchums argue that the district court did not draw every reasonable inference in their favor in reaching this conclusion, as the court is required to do in considering a summary judgment motion. See Harman v. Pollock, 586 F.3d 1254, 1268 (10th Cir. 2009), cert denied, ___ U.S. ___, 131 S.Ct. 73, 178 L.Ed.2d 24 (2010). We agree with the district court that, although the evidence of C.D.K.'s ancestry was not clearly presented in the district court, the record nevertheless compels the conclusion that he is a direct descendant of an original enrollee. The current constitution of the Cherokee Nation, adopted in 2003, provides that [a]ll citizens of the Cherokee Nation must be original enrollees or descendants of original enrollees listed on the Dawes Commission Rolls. (App. at 292.) The prior constitution, enacted in 1976, also called for reference to the Dawes Commission Rolls to prove membership in the Cherokee Nation. [7] (App. at 217 (All members of the Cherokee Nation must be citizens as proven by reference to the Dawes Commission Rolls. . . .).) The record contains approved applications for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation for both Nielson and her mother, filed in May 2008. [8] Under the terms of the 2003 Constitution, in order for those applications to be approved, Nielson and her mother  must be original enrollees or descendants of original enrollees. (App. at 292 (emphasis added).) The Registration Committee approved their applications, [9] and so the record permits only the conclusion that Nielson and her mother must be descendants of original enrollees. This conclusion is corroborated by a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood issued to Nielson by the United States Department of the Interior, which lists Dawes Roll Numbers for Nielson's great-great grandparents. The record also contains a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood issued to Nielson's grandfather which also shows the Dawes Roll Numbers for these ancestors. The record thus demonstrates that Nielsonas well as her motheris a direct descendant of Dawes enrollees. C.D.K., who is a descendant of Nielson, must therefore be a descendant of Dawes enrollees as well.