Menominee Nation loses contract support costs case at Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its first Indian law decision of its current term on Monday, ruling against the Menominee Nation of Wisconsin in a contract support costs case.

By a unanimous vote, the justices held that the tribe waited too long to pursue certain Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDA) claims against the Indian Health Service. The court determined there were no "extraordinary circumstances" that warranted an extension of a six-year deadline established by the Contract Disputes Act (CDA).

"The ISDA and CDA establish a clear procedure for the resolution of disputes over ISDA contracts, with an unambiguous 6-year deadline for presentment of claims," Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority in the nine-page decision.

http://www.indianz.com/News/2016/020160.asp