Court Opinion

ID: 9626583
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 08:18:22.148499+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:06:30.462758
License: Public Domain

THOMAS, Justice,
concurring.
I concur in the result in this case. I agree with the holding of the majority in this case to the extent that it recognizes jurisdiction in the District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of the State of Wyoming in and for Fremont County to foreclose the mortgage on fee lands within the exterior boundaries of Wind River Indian Reservation. I also agree that the award of attorney fees was appropriate.
I must take exception to the dicta appearing on page 10 of the slip opinion of the majority indicating a holding that the state district court had exclusive jurisdiction to foreclose this mortgage by virtue of the General Allotment Act. I do not think the General Allotment Act had that effect, nor can I agree that the authorities pertaining to the General Allotment Act that are cited in the majority opinion really justify that conclusion.
My primary concern, however, is that the question posed to this court was “Whether the District Court of Fremont County, Ninth Judicial District, has jurisdiction to foreclose the mortgage given by an enrolled Indian of Indian land located within the Wind River Indian Reservation.” This question does not require us to reach the issue of jurisdiction of any other court once we have decided that the state district court has jurisdiction. I would limit our holding in that regard because I am not persuaded that the tribal court would not have jurisdiction. In fact, the somewhat sparse authority in regard to that question might lead to the conclusion that the tribal court would have concurrent jurisdiction, at the very least. See Kennerly v. District Court of Ninth Judicial Dist. of Montana, 400 U.S. 423, 91 S.Ct. 480, 27 L.Ed.2d 507 (1971); Williams v. Lee, 358 U.S. 217, 79 S.Ct. 269, 3 L.Ed.2d 251 (1959); Northwest South Dakota Production Credit Ass’n v. Smith, 784 F.2d 323 (8th Cir.1986); and Security State Bank v. Pierre, 162 Mont. 298, 511 P.2d 325 (1973).
I recognize a number of pragmatic reasons for seeking foreclosure in the state *269district court. Not the least of those reasons is that the decree of a tribal court will not necessarily be recognized by the county clerk for purposes of title records. For that reason, it must be a better choice to use the state court, but I am not persuaded that, if parties chose to seek foreclosure in the tribal court, the tribal court would not have jurisdiction to proceed. In any event, that question need not be answered in this case.