Opinion ID: 733385
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Who decides state law issue

Text: 61 A final related question is whether we must independently decide whether the state validly bound itself under state law, or whether we must follow the New Mexico Supreme Court's determination of that issue in Clark, or whether we need only give some deference to the state court's determination. The district court held that, under Sims, it must independently review state law and determine whether the state was validly bound. It reached the identical conclusion as the New Mexico Supreme Court--i.e., that the Governor lacked the authority to sign the compact. 62 The Tribes conceded at oral argument of this case that Clark did indeed hold that the Governor lacked the authority to enter into the compacts. They also conceded that we are required, absent extraordinary circumstances, to accept that determination. 15 They simply argue it is irrelevant under IGRA, because Secretarial approval is all that is necessary to make the compacts valid and binding. The State similarly argues we are bound by the Clark decision. The question remains whether, despite these concessions, we nonetheless are required by Sims, 341 U.S. 22, 71 S.Ct. 557, 95 L.Ed. 713 (1951), to independently examine state law, albeit giving deference to the New Mexico Supreme Court's decision, or whether we simply accept that decision as the authoritative declaration of state law. 63 In Sims, West Virginia and seven other states had entered into a compact to control water pollution by means of a commission with representatives from each of the states. West Virginia's legislature approved the compact, and attempted to appropriate funds as part of the state's contribution to the expenses of the commission. When the state auditor refused to pay the appropriation, the West Virginia members of the commission, along with others, brought an action in the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, which held that the legislative act approving the compact was invalid because it violated West Virginia's constitution. The Supreme Court, after independently reviewing West Virginia's law, reversed the state court, concluding that nothing in the compact offended the state constitution. The Court did observe, however, that [o]f course every deference will be shown to what the highest court of a State deems to be the law and policy of its State. Id. at 28, 71 S.Ct. at 560. 64 In our view, arguments exist supporting either reading of Sims--that Sims requires us to independently examine state law, giving deference to the state court's determination, or that Sims requires us, in this particular case, to accept as binding the state court's determination. We need not explore that issue further, however, as a resolution of the matter would not change the outcome of this case. Whether we give deference to the New Mexico Supreme Court's thorough and careful analysis of state law, or whether we view ourselves as bound by it, we accept as determinative in this case the state court's decision on the question of whether the Governor of New Mexico had the authority, under the New Mexico constitution or statutory law, to bind the state to the compacts. That court unambiguously held that the Governor lacked the authority to bind the state to the compacts. We agree with that decision. The compacts were therefore never validly entered into by the state and, as a result, do not comply with IGRA.