Opinion ID: 684405
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Survivorship Claim

Text: 11 The Tribal Court also has jurisdiction over the survivorship claim. Hinshaw argues that only the State has subject matter jurisdiction over the survivorship action because it is brought in a representative capacity, any damages belong to the estate, and the decedent was not a tribal member. We disagree. 12 The Tribal Court does not have concurrent probate jurisdiction with Montana. Tribal Appellate Court Opinion at 9, citing Tribal Code of Domestic Relations, Ch. V Sec. 10(1). However, the Mahlers' tort action for personal injuries does not relate to the administration of the estate. A party wishing to bring both a wrongful death claim and a survivorship claim in a Montana court must initiate a separate non-probate action. See Matter of Estate of Pegg, 209 Mont. 71, 680 P.2d 316, 322 (1984) (wrongful death claim is not part of decedent's estate); Mont.Code Ann. Secs. 27-1-513, 27-1-501(2) (1992) (a wrongful death claim and a survivorship claim must be combined in one legal action and brought in a representative capacity). Thus, initiation of the probate action did not initiate the Mahlers' tort actions in state court. 13 Furthermore, Hinshaw has cited no authority showing that the Tribal Court does not have jurisdiction over the survivorship claim. Iowa Mut. Ins. Co. v. LaPlante, 480 U.S. 9, 107 S.Ct. 971, 94 L.Ed.2d 10 (1987) provides that state courts are generally divested of jurisdiction as a matter of federal law if the exercise of state-court jurisdiction would interfere with tribal sovereignty and self-government. Id. at 15, 107 S.Ct. at 976. For us to hold otherwise would, in the words of the district court, undermin[e] the authority of the Tribal Court to hear the wrongful death claim by effectively chilling Gloria Mahler's right to proceed in Tribal Court for that claim.