Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Chinook Indian Nation, et al. v. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 24-3629 · judgment June 17, 2025
Before the decision, about 1.8× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for counsel who has won certiorari before, a Ninth Circuit decision below, and a petition filed soon after the judgment below.
Question presented
Does a federal court have jurisdiction to recognize the existence of an Indian tribe where the findings in the Indian Tribe List Act, Public Law 103-454, sec. 103(3), provide that “Indian Tribes presently may be recognized by . . . a decision of a United States court,” and no other federal statute addresses the question of tribal recognition?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Jo-Ann Tamila Sagar
Hogan Lovells US LLP
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences
Amicus briefs
1 cert-stage
Proceedings
- Mar 23 2026Petition DENIED.
- Mar 04 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/20/2026.
- Mar 03 2026Reply of petitioners Chinook Indian Nation, et al. filed. (Distributed)
- Feb 17 2026Brief of respondent Douglas J. Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, et al. in opposition filed.
- Jan 09 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including February 17, 2026. See Rule 30.1.
- Jan 07 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response from January 14, 2026 to February 16, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
- Dec 10 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including January 14, 2026.
- Dec 09 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from December 15, 2025 to January 14, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
- Nov 05 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 15, 2025.
- Nov 04 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 13, 2025 to December 15, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Oct 16 2025Brief amicus curiae of Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians filed.
- Oct 14 2025Response Requested. (Due November 13, 2025)
- Oct 08 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/7/2025.
- Sep 30 2025Waiver of right of respondent Douglas J. Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, et al. to respond filed.
- Sep 12 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 17, 2025)