Opinion ID: 401016
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Reconsideration of Jurisdiction on Remand

Text: 5 Ramey argues that the district court had no power to reverse its earlier judgment that the court had jurisdiction over the Tribal Defendants and that they were not sovereignly immune from suit. In particular, Ramey alleges (1) that the district court exceeded the scope of this court's remand by raising the jurisdictional issue, and (2) that the Tribe was precluded from raising this issue on remand because it failed to cross-appeal the district court's denial of its motion to dismiss. Neither of these contentions has merit. 6 In Ramey Construction Co. v. Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, 616 F.2d 464 (10th Cir. 1980), this court remanded the case for a full reconsideration and adoption of appropriate findings at each level of analysis. Our determination at that time was that the lower court's findings of fact and conclusions of law were inadequate on all issues. The absence of findings concerning the issue of tribal sovereign immunity was specifically noted. Id. at 467-68 & n.5. This court's action can only be construed as a general remand requiring the district court to comply fully with Rule 52 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See id. at 466-67. Therefore, the district court did not exceed the scope of our remand by reconsidering the sovereign immunity issue. 7 The fact that the Tribal Defendants did not cross-appeal the sovereign immunity ruling after they had prevailed on the merits does not foreclose reconsideration of that issue on remand. The issue of sovereign immunity is jurisdictional. 14 C. Wright, A. Miller & E. Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3654, at 156-58 (1976); People ex rel. California Department of Fish and Game v. Quechan Tribe of Indians, 595 F.2d 1153, 1154 & n.1 (9th Cir. 1979). So long as a case is pending, the issue of federal court jurisdiction may be raised at any stage of the proceedings either by the parties or by the court on its own motion. 1 Moore's Federal Practice P 0.60(4) (2d ed. 1981). Rule 12(h)(3) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that (w) henever it appears by suggestion of the parties or otherwise that the court lacks jurisdiction of the subject matter, the court shall dismiss the action. Therefore, the court did not err in reconsidering this issue, and the court's finding of tribal sovereign immunity must stand unless it affirmatively appears that there has been a congressional or tribal waiver of immunity.