Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians v. Michigan, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, No. 23-1931 · judgment March 13, 2025
Certiorari denied · January 12, 2026
Pre-decision estimate: 3% cert probability
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Whether a district court has “inherent equitable power” to enter a coercive “decree” restricting an Indian tribe’s treaty rights without its consent and without satisfying this Court’s well-established standards for injunctive relief. (i)
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Seth P. Waxman
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
For respondent
Riyaz Amir Kanji
Kanji & Kantzen, P.L.L.C.
Proceedings
- Jan 12 2026Petition DENIED.
- Dec 23 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Dec 15 2025Reply of petitioner Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians filed.
- Dec 15 2025Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioner.
- Dec 03 2025Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
- Dec 03 2025Brief of respondents Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, et al. in opposition filed.
- Nov 05 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including December 3, 2025, for all respondents.
- Nov 04 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 10, 2025 to December 3, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Sep 08 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 10, 2025, for all respondents.
- Sep 05 2025Motion of the Bay Mills Indian Community, et al. to extend the time to file a response from September 11, 2025 to November 10, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Aug 26 2025Waiver of right of respondents Michigan, and its agents, et al. to respond filed.
- Aug 08 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 11, 2025)
- May 30 2025Application (24A1171) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until August 10, 2025.
- May 28 2025Application (24A1171) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from June 11, 2025 to August 10, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.