Opinion ID: 1259293
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: state court jurisdiction over the corporation

Text: The parties presented arguments in their briefs regarding the district court's determination of jurisdiction over the corporation. We address this issue to provide guidance to the trial court. The district court held, and there is no question, that if Robles were employed by the tribal government, state court jurisdiction would be precluded by principles of tribal self-government. The more difficult question involves state court jurisdiction over the tribal corporation. The district court held that a sue and be sued clause in the corporate charter serves to waive the sovereign immunity that the corporation would otherwise have. That is, the sue and be sued provision in the corporate charter subjects the corporation to suit. [4] We agree. [5] See, e.g., Brunette v. Dann, 417 F.Supp. 1382, 1385 (D. Idaho 1976) (sue and be sued provision in a corporate charter constitutes consent to suit); Rosebud Sioux Tribe v. A & P Steel, Inc., 874 F.2d 550, 552 (8th Cir.1989) (sue and be sued provision in a corporate charter is an express waiver of immunity); Gold v. Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Indian Reservation, 478 F.Supp. 190, 196 (D. Oregon 1979) (holding that a corporate sue and be sued waiver does not apply to actions of the tribe as a government but does apply to the tribal corporation); Parker Drilling Co. v. Metlakatla Indian Community, 451 F.Supp. 1127, 1136-37 (D. Alaska 1978) (sue and be sued provision constitutes a consent to suit against the tribal corporation); Atkinson v. Haldane, 569 P.2d 151, 174-75 (Alaska 1977) (recognizing that a tribal corporation could consent to suit with a sue and be sued clause); Kenai Oil & Gas, Inc. v. Department of Interior, 522 F.Supp. 521, 528 (D. Utah 1981), aff'd, 671 F.2d 383 (10th Cir.1982) (the effect of a sue and be sued provision in the charter of a tribal corporation would be to waive any immunity it would otherwise have). However, a determination that the corporation is subject to suit does not end the jurisdictional inquiry. The tribal corporation may be subject to suit, but the correct forum for such suit may not be a state court. State court jurisdictional law involving the Indian as an individual or as a tribe has developed tortuously over a period of time. The cases reveal complicated issues involving not only state but federal law, the interplay between the two and what this Court has previously called the schizoid policies of the federal government toward the Indian. Sheppard v. Sheppard, 104 Idaho 1, 11, 655 P.2d 895, 905 (1982). Because this Court has thoroughly considered the history and development of these jurisdictional rules on prior occasions, we do not repeat that discussion herein. See generally State v. Major, 111 Idaho 410, 725 P.2d 115 (1986); Sheppard, 104 Idaho 1, 655 P.2d 895 (1982); Boyer v. Shoshone-Bannock Indian Tribes, 92 Idaho 257, 441 P.2d 167 (1968). Under Idaho law, state court jurisdiction over Indian affairs can be founded on one of two statutes. I.C. §§ 67-5101, -5102. Under I.C. § 67-5101, Idaho accepted jurisdiction over certain enumerated matters pertaining to Indian affairs including: compulsory school attendance; juvenile delinquency; dependent, neglected and abused children; insanity and mental illness; public assistance; domestic relations; and highways. This case, involving a wage dispute, is not included in I.C. § 67-5101 and that section cannot be a basis for state court jurisdiction. Under I.C. § 67-5102, Idaho state courts can assume additional jurisdiction over other Indian affairs with the consent of individual tribal governing bodies. Boyer v. Shoshone-Bannock Indian Tribes, 92 Idaho 257, 441 P.2d 167 (1968). [6] This Court has held that I.C. § 67-5102 requires in effect, [] a bilateral agreement between the State of Idaho and the [] [t]ribe to confer jurisdiction to the state courts. Id. at 262, 441 P.2d at 172; see also id. at 262, 441 P.2d at 172 (a sue and be sued clause, standing by itself, was not sufficient to show acceptance by the tribe of state jurisdiction for an action not included in I.C. § 67-5101). See also Snowbird Constr. Co. v. United States, 666 F.Supp. 1437, 1444 (D. Idaho 1987) (sue and be sued clause does not determine in what forum a suit against the Housing Authority may properly be brought); Kenai Oil & Gas v. Department of Interior, 522 F.Supp. 521 (D. Utah 1981), aff'd, 671 F.2d 383 (10th Cir.1982) (same); Weeks Constr., Inc. v. Oglala Sioux Hous. Auth., 797 F.2d 668 (8th Cir.1986) (same). But see S. Unique, Ltd. v. Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, 138 Ariz. 378, 674 P.2d 1376 (Ct.App.1983); Martinez v. Southern Ute Tribe, 150 Colo. 504, 374 P.2d 691 (1962). The corporation's motion to dismiss alleged lack of subject matter jurisdiction. In denying the motion to dismiss the magistrate court did not rule as a matter of law that it had jurisdiction. The magistrate court's ruling did not remove the question of jurisdiction from the proceedings; its holding was simply that the moving party could not prevail on the motion to dismiss. Anderson, 97 Idaho at 820, 555 P.2d at 151. Thus, the corporation may continue to assert lack of subject matter jurisdiction. In pursuing this case, Robles should note that the jurisdictional challenge will likely be raised again. Robles has the burden of establishing that the tribe has consented to state court jurisdiction. State v. Major, 111 Idaho 410, 725 P.2d 115 (1986). Unless he can present evidence of the agreement required by I.C. § 67-5102, and the record before us contains no evidence which would convince us that there is such an agreement, the case will ultimately be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, even if Robles is found to have worked for the corporation.