Opinion ID: 612876
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Smith's Gift Transfer

Text: Smith holds a 3/38 undivided restricted fee interest in the 35-acre Reserve. [5] While the Department of the Interior has found it not entirely clear how interests in the Reserve descended to the many heirs of Maria Christiana DeRome, it is undisputed that Smith inherited his interest as an heir of DeRome and shares his interest with over 20 other landowners. [6] Aplt.App. at 149-50; see also id. at 171-78 (June 2009 BIA Title Status Report listing current interest-holders in the Reserve). Smith is also a member of Miami Tribe. In 1996, to strengthen its connection with the Reserve, the tribe amended its constitution and adopted all current Reserve landowners, enlisting them as tribal members. Then, in 2001, Smith decided to give a portion of his interest to the tribe, ostensibly as a benefit to the tribe and its members. Because the land was held in restricted fee, as we describe in greater detail below, federal law required the BIA to approve the transfer. Smith applied to the BIA for approval to convey by gift 1/3 of his 3/38 undivided interest (i.e. 1/38 interest) in the Reserve to Miami Tribe. The BIA denied Smith's application for two reasons. It found the transfer (1) was not in the long-range best interests of Smith or other Reserve landowners, and (2) conflicted with the federal government's policy of avoiding further fractionation of interests in Indian lands. Smith appealed to the Interior Board of Indian Appeals (IBIA) of the United States Department of the Interior, which affirmed the BIA's decision.