Argyle v. Grand Traverse Band Gaming Commission

8 Am. Tribal Law 167
CourtGrand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Tribal Court
DecidedFebruary 6, 2009
DocketNo. 2008-1120-CV-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 8 Am. Tribal Law 167 (Argyle v. Grand Traverse Band Gaming Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Tribal Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Argyle v. Grand Traverse Band Gaming Commission, 8 Am. Tribal Law 167 (grtravbandct 2009).

Opinion

ORDER CONCERNING DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR SUMMARY DISPOSITION

WILSON D. BROTT, Chief Judge.

This case arises from an incident which occurred at Turtle Creek Casino operated by the Defendant Grand Traverse Band Gaming Commission which is an agency wholly owned and operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (hereinafter “The Tribe”). Plaintiff Dorothy Argyle is alleged to have suffered injuries when she attempted to sit down in a swivel chair located in front of a slot machine and instead fell to the floor.

Defendant filed a motion for summary disposition claiming that it is entitled to dismissal under GTBCR 4.116(C)(7), arguing that the Plaintiffs claim is barred because of sovereign immunity granted by law. GTBCR 4.116(C)(7) states a basis for summary disposition that: “The claim is barred because of release, payment, prior judgment, immunity granted by law, statute of limitations, statute of frauds, an agreement to arbitrate, infancy or other disability of the moving party, or assignment or other disposition of the claim before commencement of the action.” Pursuant to GTBCR 4.116(G)(5), “The affidavits, together with the pleadings, depositions, admissions, and documentary evidence then filed in the action or submitted by the parties, must be considered by the court.” Unlike a motion under subsection (C)(10), a movant under MCR 2.116(C)(7) is not required to file supportive material, and the opposing party need not reply with supportive material. The contents of the complaint are accepted as true unless contradicted by documentation submitted by the movant. Fletcher v. Grand Traverse Band Tribal Council, —— Am. Tribal Law -, 2004 WL 5714967, Order Regarding Defendants’ Motions for Summary Disposition, at p. -, citing Maiden v. Rozwood, 461 Mich. 109, 119, 597 N.W.2d 817 (1999). The motion is properly granted when the undisputed facts establish the moving party is entitled to immunity granted by law. By Lo Oil Co. v. Dep’t of Treasury, 267 Mich.App. 19, 26, 703 N.W.2d 822 (2005).

Defendant also argues that it is entitled to summary disposition under GTBCR 4.116(0(10), on the ground that there is no genuine issue of material fact, and that Defendant is entitled to summary disposition as a matter of law. The moving party must specifically identify the undisputed factual issues and support its position with documentary evidence. GTBCR 4.116(G)(3)(b); Maiden, supra, at 120, 597 N.W.2d 817. The trial court must consider all the documentary evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. GTBCR 4.116(G)(4); Maiden, supra, at 120, 597 N.W.2d 817. A motion for summary disposition brought under [169]*169GTBCR 4.116(0(10) tests the factual support of a claim. Hazle v. Ford Motor Co., 464 Mich. 456, 461, 628 N.W.2d 515 (2001). After reviewing the pleadings, affidavits, depositions, admissions, and any other evidence in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party, the court may grant summary disposition under GTBCR 4.116(0(10) if there is no genuine issue concerning any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Morales v. Auto-Owners Ins. Co., 458 Mich. 288, 294, 582 N.W.2d 776 (1998). A genuine issue of material fact exists when reasonable minds could differ after drawing reasonable inferences from the record. West v. General Motors Corp., 469 Mich. 177, 183, 665 N.W.2d 468 (2003).

Plaintiff argues that she should be allowed to conduct full discovery prior to the Court ruling on Defendant’s motion for summary disposition. Plaintiff seeks to investigate other incidents where people have fallen on Defendant’s property. “[A] party opposing a motion for summary disposition because discovery is not complete must provide some independent evidence that a factual dispute exists.” Michigan Nat'l Bank v. Metro Institutional Food Service, Inc., 198 Mich.App. 236, 241, 497 N.W.2d 225 (1993). See also Bellows v. Delaware McDonald's Corp., 206 Mich.App. 555, 561, 522 N.W.2d 707 (1994) (“If a party opposes a motion for summary disposition on the ground that discovery is incomplete, the party must at least assert that a dispute does indeed exist and support that allegation by some independent evidence.”). Michigan’s discovery rules are broadly construed, Shinkle v. Shinkle (On Rehearing), 255 Mich.App. 221, 225, 663 N.W.2d 481 (2003), but the support of open and extensive discovery is not intended to promote “fishing expeditions,” In re Hammond Estate, 215 Mich.App. 379, 386-387, 547 N.W.2d 36 (1996). The mere promise or assertion that facts will be established is insufficient. Maiden v. Rozwood, supra at 121, 597 N.W.2d 817.

As a general rule, the Tribe is immune from suit except where specifically waived. The inherent sovereign immunity of Indian tribes is well-established and has been long recognized in the law. Bonacci v. Tribal Council - Am. Tribal Law -, -, 2003 WL 25836561, *1 (2003), citing Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez, 436 U.S. 49, 98 S.Ct. 1670, 56 L.Ed.2d 106 (1978) and Oklahoma, Tax Commission v. Citizen Band of Potawatomi Indian Tribe of Oklahoma, 498 U.S. 505, 111 S.Ct. 905, 112 L.Ed.2d 1112 (1991). The United States Supreme Court has consistently held that Indian tribal governments have sovereign immunity unless such immunity has been expressly waived by either Congress or the particular tribal government. Santa Clara Pueblo, at 58, 98 S.Ct. 1670. It is federal law' which provides the parameters for tribal sovereign immunity. Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma v. Manufacturing Technologies, Inc., 523 U.S. 751, 118 S.Ct. 1700, 140 L.Ed.2d 981 (1998). This Court concluded in Bonacei that “this Court finds that federal law recognizes the inherent immunity of tribal governments and that there has not been any express waiver of that immunity by Congress.” Bonacci, supra, at —, 2003 WL 25836561at *2.

The issue then becomes whether the Tribe has waived its sovereign immunity. Prior decisions have interpreted the Tribal Constitution’s provision in Article XIII, Section 2(a), to allow suit against Tribe to enforce rights afforded under the Constitution, ordinances and resolutions of the Tribe. As succinctly stated by this Court in Bonacei:

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Related

Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez
436 U.S. 49 (Supreme Court, 1978)
People v. Phillips
666 N.W.2d 657 (Michigan Supreme Court, 2003)
West v. General Motors Corp.
665 N.W.2d 468 (Michigan Supreme Court, 2003)
Hazle v. Ford Motor Co.
628 N.W.2d 515 (Michigan Supreme Court, 2001)
Shinkle v. Shinkle
663 N.W.2d 481 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 2003)
Maiden v. Rozwood
597 N.W.2d 817 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1999)
In Re Estate of Hammond
547 N.W.2d 36 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1996)
Bellows v. Delaware McDonald's Corp.
522 N.W.2d 707 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1994)
Michigan National Bank v. Metro Institutional Food Service, Inc
497 N.W.2d 225 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1993)
By Lo Oil Co. v. Department of Treasury
703 N.W.2d 822 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 2005)
Morales v. Auto-Owners Insurance
582 N.W.2d 776 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1998)

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Bluebook (online)
8 Am. Tribal Law 167, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/argyle-v-grand-traverse-band-gaming-commission-grtravbandct-2009.