Lowe-Ennis v. Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance Commission

6 Am. Tribal Law 305
CourtHo-Chunk Nation Trial Court
DecidedFebruary 7, 2006
DocketNo. CV 04-06-07
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Am. Tribal Law 305 (Lowe-Ennis v. Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ho-Chunk Nation Trial Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lowe-Ennis v. Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance Commission, 6 Am. Tribal Law 305 (hochunkct 2006).

Opinion

[306]*306ORDER (Reversing and Remanding)

TODD R. MATHA, Chief Judge.

INTRODUCTION

The Court must determine whether to uphold the adjudicative decision of the Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance Commission (hereinafter TERO Commission). Regrettably, the TERO Commission failed to adhere to the clear dictates of the TERO, thereby necessitating a reversal of the decision and order and a remand to the executive agency. The analysis and holding of the Court follows below.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The Court recounts the procedural history in significant detail within the text of its May 5, 2004 Order (Setting Briefing Schedule) in which the Court also scheduled Oral Argument.1 For purposes of this decision, the Court notes that the respondent, TERO Commission, filed the exhibits accepted at its November 24, 2003 Hearing on May 26, 2004.2 The petitioner, Cash Systems, Inc. (hereinafter Cash Systems), by and through Attorneys Vanya S. Hogen and Colette Routel, filed its Initial Brief on July 6, 2004. The petitioner, Patricia A. Lowe-Ennis, by and through Attorney Mark L. Goodman, filed her Brief on July 7, 2004.

On August 20, 2004, the respondent submitted its Response to Plaintiffs’ Initial Briefs,3 and the petitioners each filed reply briefs. Ms. Lowe-Ennis filed the Reply to Brief of Respondent Ho-Chunk Nation T.E.R.O. Commission on September 9, 2004, and Cash Systems filed its Reply [307]*307Brief of Plaintiff Cash Systems, Inc. on September 20, 2004. The Court convened Oml Argument on October 5, 2004 at 1:30 p.m. CDT. The following parties appeared at Oral Argument: Attorney Mark L. Goodman, petitioner’s counsel; Attorney Colette Routel petitioner’s counsel; and Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Justice (hereinafter DOJ) Attorney Michael P. Murphy, respondent’s counsel.4

APPLICABLE LAW

CONSTITUTION OF THE HO-CHUNK NATION

Ail. Ill—Organization of the Government

Sec. 3. Separation of Functions. No branch of government shall exercise the powers and functions delegated to another branch.

Art. IV—General Council

Sec. 1. Powers of the General Council. The People of the Ho-Chunk Nation hereby grant all inherent sovereign powers to the General Council. All eligible voters of the Ho-Chunk Nation are entitled to participate in General Council.

Sec. 2. Delegation of Authority. The General Council hereby authorizes the legislative branch to make laws and appropriate funds in accordance with Article V. The General Council hereby authorizes the executive branch to enforce the laws and administer funds in accordance with Arti-ele VI. The General Council hereby authorizes the judicial branch to interpret and apply the laws and Constitution of the Nation in accordance with Article VII.

Article V—Legislature

Sec. 2. Powers of the Legislature, The Legislature shall have the power:

(a) To make law's, including codes, ordinances, resolutions, and statutes;

(b) To establish Executive Departments, and to delegate legislative powers to the Executive branch to be administered by such Departments, in accordance with the law7; any Department established by the Legislature shall be administered by the Executive; the Legislature reserves the power to review any action taken by virtue of such delegated power;

Article VI—Executive

Sec. 2. Powers of the President. The President shall have the power:

(d) To administer all Departments, boards, and committees created by the Legislature;

(1) To execute, administer, and enforce the laws of the Ho-Chunk Nation necessary to exercise all powers delegated by the General Council and the Legislature, including but not limited to the foregoing list of powers.

Article VII—Judiciary

Sec. 4. Powers of the Judiciary. The judicial power of the Ho-Chunk Nation shall be vested in the Judiciary. The Judi-[308]*308eiary shall have the power to interpret and apply the Constitution and laws of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Sec. 5. Jurisdiction of the Judiciary.

(a) The Trial Court shall have original jurisdiction over all cases and controversies, both criminal and civil, in law or in equity, arising under the Constitution, laws, customs and traditions of the Ho-Chunk Nation, including cases in which the Ho-Chunk Nation, or its officials and employees, shall be a party. Any such case or controversy arising within the jurisdiction of the Ho-Chunk Nation shall be filed in the Trial Court before it is filed in any other court. This grant of jurisdiction by the General Council shall not be construed to be a waiver of the Nation’s sovereign immunity.

Sec. 6. Powers of the Tribal Court.

(a) The Trial Court shall have the power to make findings of fact and conclusions of law The Trial Court shall have the power to issue all remedies in law and in equity including injunctive and declaratory relief and all writs including attachment and mandamus.

Sec. 7. Powers of the Supreme Court

(b) The Supreme Court shall have the power to establish written rules for the Judiciary, including qualifications to practice before the Ho-Chunk courts, provided such rules are consistent with the laws of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

HO-CHUNK NATION TRIBAL EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ORDINANCE

Article I—Declaration of Policy

Sec. 1. Findings.

(a) The Legislature of the Ho-Chunk Nation (“Legislature”) finds that:

(1)whereas it is the public policy of the Ho-Chunk Nation to foster employment opportunities for its members and other Indian people; and,
(2) whereas it is the public policy of the Ho-Chunk Nation to protect the economic and societal interests of its members and other Indians by taking measures to eliminate employment discrimination against Indian people; and,
(3) whereas it the intent and purpose of this Ordinance to promote the employment and training of Indians, consistent with the Indian Hiring Preference requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 (42 U.S.C.S 2000c-2(i)> as applied to any Indian, business or enterprise “on or near” an Indian reservation, and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 6 450 et seq.) which requires preference be given to Indians, Indian-owned economic enterprises and Indian organizations in the administration and award of all federal contracts, subcontracts, or grants for the benefit of Indians;

Article IV—Definition of Terms

Sec. 1. Key Terms.

(f) “CORE CREW”—shall be defined as a regular, permanent employee of a contractor or subcontractor in a supervisory or other key position who performs a critical function such that the employer would likely face serious financial damage or loss if that task were assigned to a person who had not previously worked for the contractor or subcontractor.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Ho-Chunk Nation v. Olsen
2 Am. Tribal Law 299 (Ho-Chunk Nation Trial Court, 2000)
Whiteagle v. Cloud
5 Am. Tribal Law 178 (Ho-Chunk Nation Supreme Court, 2004)
Ho-Chunk Nation v. Bank of America, N.A.
6 Am. Tribal Law 275 (Ho-Chunk Nation Trial Court, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
6 Am. Tribal Law 305, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lowe-ennis-v-ho-chunk-nation-tribal-employment-rights-ordinance-commission-hochunkct-2006.