Broad v. Sealaska Corp.

85 F.3d 422, 1996 WL 254853
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedMay 16, 1996
DocketNo. 94-35310
StatusPublished
Cited by83 cases

This text of 85 F.3d 422 (Broad v. Sealaska Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Broad v. Sealaska Corp., 85 F.3d 422, 1996 WL 254853 (9th Cir. 1996).

Opinions

Opinion by Judge HALL; Dissent by Judge KLEINFELD.

CYNTHIA HOLCOMB HALL, Circuit Judge:

Sealaska Corporation, a Native regional corporation organized under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), established a “settlement trust” as authorized in an amendment to ANCSA. This trust, titled the Elders’ Settlement Trust (EST), provides a one time $2000 payment to each Sealaska shareholder who reaches sixty-five years of age. The plaintiffs, who are shareholders of Sealaska under age sixty-five, filed a class action complaint in Alaska state court claiming that creation of the settlement trust violated state corporations law and the provisions of ANCSA. Sealaska removed to federal district court and the parties stipulated to deferring the request for class certification.

The plaintiffs appeal from the district court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of Sealaska on all claims. The district court had jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a) and this Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review a district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo. Warren v. City of Carlsbad, 58 F.3d 439, 441 (9th Cir.1995). We affirm.

I

Congress enacted ANCSA, 43 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq., in 1971 “to achieve a fair and just settlement of all aboriginal land [in Alaska] ... with maximum participation by Natives in decisions affecting their rights and property.” 43 U.S.C. § 1601 note (Supp. 1995) (Congressional Findings and Declaration of Policy for ANCSA Amendments of 1987). To accomplish this goal, ANCSA created regional corporations to hold and manage the Native land settlements. Congress amended ANCSA in 1987 to ensure the continuing success of the Native corporations. The amendments included a provision permitting a corporation to create a “settlement trust,” a vehicle into which a corporation could transfer assets that were to be used for the health, education, and- welfare of the trust beneficiaries. Assets held in these trusts enjoy protection from the corporation’s creditors.

Sealaska, which is the Native Corporation for the Southeast Panhandle of Alaska, saw the settlement trust as a means to recognize the contributions of its elder shareholders and to assist them financially. The board of directors adopted a resolution to establish the EST, a trust that would be funded with corporate assets, and that would distribute $20 per share to shareholders aged sixty-five or older.

The board sent to all shareholders a proxy statement for the 1991 shareholder meeting and a description of the proposal, both of which included information about the benefits and disadvantages of the EST. The resolution received an affirmative vote from 50.7 percent of all outstanding shares, and thereby passed. The board appointed trustees and authorized the President and CEO to prepare the trust document. As of December 10, 1991, the trust has been operating according to the terms of the resolution.

In September 1992 the plaintiffs filed a class action suit in the Alaska Superior Court claiming that the cash disbursements paid out through the trust constitute a constructive dividend. They assert that this dividend is an illegal distribution because it discriminates between Sealaska shares of- the same class.

Sealaska removed the case to federal court, and the parties filed cross-motions for [426]*426summary judgment. In their answer to Sealaska’s motion, the plaintiffs raised several additional claims. First, they argued that the proxy materials Sealaska supplied to its shareholders did not comply with applicable law because the information given was misleading and omitted material facts. Second, they argued that nonvoting shareholders should have been allowed to vote on the establishment of the EST. Finally, they claimed that the EST, under authority of federal law, takes property from the shareholders without just compensation, and thus violates their rights under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The district court issued several orders, which, taken together, entered judgment in favor of Sealaska and against the plaintiffs on all claims. The plaintiffs appealed asserting an additional claim under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. We affirm the district court’s judgment on all claims, and dismiss the Due Process claim because it is not properly before us.

II

The plaintiffs’ original complaint contended that the EST’s disbursement of funds to elder shareholders is illegal as a discriminatory distribution under Alaska corporations law. Sealaska countered that the settlement trust provisions of ANCSA preempt state law in this respect and, therefore, the EST is a valid settlement trust authorized by ANC-SA We affirm the district court’s holding that ANCSA displaces contrary state law with respect to settlement trusts, and that the EST is proper under ANCSA.

Under the Alaska Corporations Code a corporation must give equal treatment to all shares of the same class and must make its distributions without discrimination. Alaska Stat. § 10.06.305(b). Both parties agree that the EST discriminates against shareholders who have not yet reached age sixty-five. Therefore, if the EST distributions are treated as shareholder dividends, then the payments made through the trust would violate Alaska state law and would be illegal unless authorized by ANCSA

The district court correctly concluded that ANCSA’s provisions explicitly preempted state law with respect to corporate resolutions that establish settlement trusts. But the relevant inquiry is not whose law governs the establishment of the trust, but instead whether a state law that prohibits the octions taken by the trust is preempted by federal law. Preemption of state law regarding trust distributions is not explicitly covered by the ANCSA settlement trust provisions. Nevertheless, we find that ANCSA implicitly preempts state law in this respect.

Congress provided that conveyance of assets into settlement trusts must be carried out “in accordance with the laws of the State Oexcept to the extent that such laws are inconsistent with [sections 1629b and 1629e of ANCSA7).” 43 U.S.C. § 1629e(a)(1)(A) (Supp.1995) (emphasis added). Section 1629e requires that each trust be established “to promote the health, education, and welfare of its beneficiaries and to preserve the heritage and culture of Natives.” 43 U.S.C. § 1629e(b)(1). Furthermore, it limits the use of these trusts, specifically prohibiting trusts that “discriminate in favor of a group of individuals composed only or principally of employees, officers, or directors of the settlor Native Corporation.” 43 U.S.C. § 1629e(b)(1)(C).

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Bluebook (online)
85 F.3d 422, 1996 WL 254853, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/broad-v-sealaska-corp-ca9-1996.