Crocker v. Tribal Council for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon

13 Am. Tribal Law 58
CourtGrand Ronde Tribal Court
DecidedAugust 3, 2015
DocketNo. C-13-09-002
StatusPublished

This text of 13 Am. Tribal Law 58 (Crocker v. Tribal Council for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Grand Ronde Tribal Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crocker v. Tribal Council for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, 13 Am. Tribal Law 58 (grrondect 2015).

Opinion

[60]*60ORDER DENYING APPEAL

DAVID D. SHAW, Chief Judge.

This matter came before the Court upon an appeal by Petitioner of an August 16, 2013 decision by the Tribal Council to approve the Enrollment Committee’s recommendation to remove Petitioner from membership in the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (“the Tribe” or “CTGR”).

Oral arguments were heard on this matter on December 3, 2014. Petitioner appeared through its counsel, Joe Sexton. Respondent appeared through its counsel, Tribal Attorney Deneen Aubertin Keller.

I. Introduction

The Petition is denied. The related analysis of the parties’ claims, defenses, and arguments are discussed further here[61]*61in. However, prior to engaging in the analysis, the Court is compelled to comment that this judicial opinion speaks only to a legal proceeding and does not intend to unnecessarily comment on the personal issue of the Petitioner’s sense of self and personal identity.

Procedural Background

Petitioner has been a member of the Tribe for over twenty-seven years. Petitioner’s history includes a period of slightly over three months when she was dual enrolled with CTGR and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon (“Siletz”).

The Tribal Constitution prohibits an individual from qualifying for membership in the Tribe if the person is also a member of another tribe. Tribal Const. Art. V, Sections 1, 2. The Tribal Constitution' authorizes the creation of a Tribal ordinance to address in part a “correction of the tribal roll.” Tribal Const. Art. V, Section 3. The Tribal Constitution also authorizes the creation of a Tribal ordinance governing involuntary loss of membership and limits the reason for such loss to a “failure to meet the requirements set forth for membership in this Constitution.” Tribal Const. Art. V, Section 5.

In April 2013, Petitioner was notified by letter that an enrollment audit indicated she was enrolled with Siletz at the time she was enrolled with CTGR. Record Ex. 45. The enrollment audit was conducted by a third party hired by the Tribe to act as its authorized agent. The April 2013 letter states the Tribal Enrollment Department is recommending Petitioner’s removal from Tribal membership due to her dual enrollment. Id. The same letter notifies Petitioner of a right to a hearing before the Enrollment Committee. Id. Petitioner timely requested an Enrollment Committee hearing. Record Ex. 12.

Petitioner’s Enrollment Committee hearing was initially established for May 3, 2013. Record Ex. 9. Petitioner requested an extension of her May 3rd hearing date and also filed with this Court an Emergency Request for Enrollment File and/or Stay in order to review her enrollment file. Petitioner received an order from the Tribal Court to review her enrollment file on May 29, 2013. The Enrollment Committee reset her May 3rd hearing until May 30, 2013. Record Ex. 52.

The Enrollment Committee consists of appointed Tribal elders that do not hold themselves out as practicing attorneys. Petitioner was represented by bar-licensed attorneys during the Enrollment Committee hearing process. No publicly available information and no written information was available to Petitioner, or Petitioner’s bar-licensed attorneys, on the process to be used at the Enrollment Committee or Tribal Council hearings1 in regards to (i) how traditional “evidence” (as this term would be used by lawyers in a judicial setting) could be presented; (ii) how witnesses could be compelled to testify (including witnesses that are employees of the Tribe2); (iii) the standard of proof or burden of persuasion and the party bear-[62]*62mg the same; (iv) and the nature of any discovery3 rights or process. Petitioner’s attorney raised complaints regarding items (i)-(iv) throughout the Tribal administrative process. In response to some of these complaints, Petitioner received extensions of deadlines and extensions of time for its administrative presentations.

Notwithstanding the issues identified in (i)-(iv) above, the Tribe repeatedly informed Petitioner and Petitioner’s attorneys that they would be provided the opportunity to present information they wanted at the Enrollment Committee, and that the issue for consideration was the dual enrollment of Petitioner with the Si-letz Tribe.

Petitioner submitted a relatively-large amount of documentary evidence into the record at the administrative level, and was permitted a significant amount of time for a presentation to Tribal Council after the Enrollment Committee’s contingent disen-rollment decision.

Petitioner was represented by legal counsel at the May 30th Enrollment Committee hearing. Petitioner also submitted legal briefing and documentary evidence at the May 30th hearing. Record Ex. 51. After objecting to the use of some documents used at the May 30th hearing, Petitioner was subsequently informed by the Committee of her opportunity to submit a limited written response to three documents that were submitted by Enrollment Department staff to the Enrollment Committee at the May 30, 2013 hearing. Record Ex. 54. Counsel for Petitioner subsequently sent a written request to the Enrollment Committee requesting that the disenrollment process for Petitioner be halted upon the basis that an unauthorized person wap present during the Committee hearing, and also upon the basis that members of the Enrollment Department provided evidence to the Committee outside the presence of Petitioner. Record Ex. 55. In response, on June 7, 2013 Petitioner was informed that she may have a rehearing before the Committee due to the presence of an unauthorized person at her May 30th hearing.

Petitioner’s requested rehearing with the Enrollment Committee occurred on July 10, 2013, at which she was represented by counsel. Record Ex. 64. Petitioner was notified two days later of the Enrollment Committee’s recommendation to the Tribal Council of disenrollment and that the Tribal Council would act on this recommendation on August 14, 2013. Record Ex. 66. Petitioner’s attorney submitted written arguments to the Tribal Council on August 2, 2013. Record Ex. 72. The Tribal Council met to discuss in part the recommend disenrollment of Petitioner on August 14, 2013 and August 16, 2013, and Petitioner represented herself before the Tribal Council on these dates. Record Ex. 75.

At the Tribal Council presentation, Petitioner neither questioned the involvement of the Tribal Chairman, nor requested his recusal from the discussion or voting on the Enrollment Committee recommended action of disenrollment. Record Ex. 76. The Tribal Council voted on August 16, 2013 to dis-enroll Petitioner by a 5-4 vote, with the Chairman casting the deciding vote. Id.

Material Facts

Between November 25 and December 3, 1985, Petitioner submitted an application [63]*63for membership in the Tribe and explicitly-stated in writing that she was also a then-current member of Siletz. Record Ex. 1. Previously, Petitioner had submitted paperwork to the Siletz on November 20, 1985 referencing a change in her membership status. Record Ex. 49. On January 30, 1986, a Tribal Enrollment employee notified Petitioner that action on her membership application would occur in three to five weeks and recommended she obtain relinquishment forms from Siletz. Record Ex. 14.

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Bluebook (online)
13 Am. Tribal Law 58, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crocker-v-tribal-council-for-the-confederated-tribes-of-the-grand-ronde-grrondect-2015.