Oneida Indian Nation v. Phillips

360 F. Supp. 3d 122
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedNovember 15, 2018
Docket5:17-CV-1035 (GTS/ATB)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 360 F. Supp. 3d 122 (Oneida Indian Nation v. Phillips) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Oneida Indian Nation v. Phillips, 360 F. Supp. 3d 122 (N.D.N.Y. 2018).

Opinion

GLENN T. SUDDABY, Chief United States District Judge

Currently before the Court, in this real property action filed by Oneida Indian Nation ("Plaintiff") against Melvin L. Phillips, Sr., individually and as Trustee ("Defendant Phillips"), and Melvin L. Phillips, Sr./Orchard Party Trust ("Defendant Trust") (collectively "Defendants"), is Plaintiff's motion to dismiss Defendants' counterclaim for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). (Dkt. No. 24.)

*125For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff's motion is granted.

I. RELEVANT BACKGROUND

A. Plaintiff's Claims

Generally, liberally construed, Plaintiff's Complaint claims that Plaintiff has a right to possess the 19.6 acres of land in dispute as part of the Oneida reservation ("19.6 acres in dispute"), which right arises from, and is protected against infringement by, federal treaty, statutory and common law, and the U.S. Constitution, and that Defendant Phillips' conduct in executing and recording the trust declaration, quit claim deed, and other documents in county land records was an unlawful attempt to obtain possession of and control over the 19.6 acres in dispute for his and his family's personal benefit. (See generally Dkt. No. 1 [Pl.'s Compl.].) As relief, Plaintiff's Complaint requests a declaratory judgment and a permanent injunction. (Id. ) Familiarity with the factual allegations supporting this claim and the relief requested in Plaintiff's Complaint is assumed in this Decision and Order, which is intended primarily for the review of the parties.

B. Defendants' Counterclaim

Generally, liberally construed, Defendants counterclaims that Defendant Trust, as successor-in-interest to the historic Oneida Party, has a right to possess the 19.6 acres in dispute and other lands pursuant to the deed, which right arises from, and is protected against infringement by federal treaty, state treaty, statutory and common law, and the Constitution, and that Defendant Phillips' conduct in executing and recording the trust declaration, quit claim deed, and other documents in county land records was a lawful action to maintain possession and control over the 19.6 acres in dispute and other Orchard Party Oneida lands identified in the deed for the benefit of the Orchard Party Oneida. (See generally Dkt. No. 17 [Defs.' Answer and Countercl.].) Familiarity with the factual allegations supporting this counterclaim is assumed in this Decision and Order, which again, is intended primarily for the review of the parties.

C. Parties' Briefing on Plaintiff's Motion

1. Plaintiff's Memorandum of Law

Generally, in support of its motion to dismiss, Plaintiff asserts the following five arguments. (Dkt. No. 24, Attach. 2 [Pl.'s Mem. of Law].)

First, Plaintiff argues that the counterclaim does not state a claim under federal law because it fails to plausibly identify any source of federal protection of the rights of "Orchard Party Oneida" in the 19.6 acres in dispute. (Id. ) More specifically, Plaintiff argues that, by expressly alleging that the Court possesses subject-jurisdiction over the counterclaim in the form of supplemental jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367 (Dkt. No. 17, at ¶ 54), Defendants choose not to allege that the Court possesses subject-matter jurisdiction in the form of federal-question jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 or what some federal courts have referred to as "Indian tribes jurisdiction"1 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1362. (Dkt. No. 24, Attach. 2.)2 Furthermore, Plaintiff argues, there is *126no actionable state counterclaim over which the Court could possess supplemental jurisdiction, because state law plays no role in the protection of Indian land held by Indian title (which is the exclusive province of federal law). (Id. )

Second, Plaintiff argues that the counterclaim does not state a claim because, even if it were to identify a federal-law basis for its claim, it does not assert the rights of an Indian tribe a necessary element of a federal action to enforce ownership rights. (Id. ) More specifically, Plaintiff argues, any allegation of separate tribal status for Orchard Party Oneida would not be plausible, and Defendants would be judicially estopped from making such an allegation because Defendant Phillips and others have previously claimed membership to the Oneida Nation and in its government. (Id. ) In addition, Plaintiff argues, the federal government, through both the Department of Interior and the Department of Justice, has rejected the existence of an Orchard Party Tribe. (Id. ) Finally, Plaintiff argues, District Judges Edmund Port, Neal McCurn, and Lawrence Kahn of this Court have decided that the Orchard Party Oneida are a part of the Oneida Nation, not a separate tribal entity. (Id. )

Third, Plaintiff argues that the counterclaim does not state a claim because, even if it were based on New York State law, it does not plausibly allege that New York State law gives Defendant Trust rights in the 19.6 acres in dispute. (Id. ) More specifically, Plaintiff argues that, while the counterclaim identifies a state treaty dated June 24, 1842, it does not allege that there was federal approval and ratification of that treaty, which are requirements for a treaty to be valid in law and equity. (Id. )3 Even setting aside the issue of validity, Plaintiff argues, the counterclaim admits that the 19.6 acres in dispute were not purchased by the state in the 1842 treaty (and thus their title stayed where it had been: with Plaintiff). (Id. ) Indeed, Plaintiff argues, in prior Oneida land claim litigation, the Orchard Party admitted both (a) that it is part of Plaintiff and (b) that Plaintiff has a continued right to title and possession of, inter alia , the lands in question. (Id. ) Finally, Plaintiff argues, even if the counterclaim were to sufficiently identify state law, that state law would not give rise to a claim by Defendants, because (a) the Orchard Party Oneida is not an Indian tribe recognized by the State in N.Y. Indian L. § 2, (b) the State has recognized (in a settlement agreement approved by Judge Kahn)4

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Related

Oneida Indian Nation v. Phillips
981 F.3d 157 (Second Circuit, 2020)

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Bluebook (online)
360 F. Supp. 3d 122, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oneida-indian-nation-v-phillips-nynd-2018.