Whiteagle-Lee v. Election Board Members

8 Am. Tribal Law 35
CourtHo-Chunk Nation Trial Court
DecidedMarch 17, 2009
DocketNo. CV 09-03
StatusPublished

This text of 8 Am. Tribal Law 35 (Whiteagle-Lee v. Election Board Members) 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
Whiteagle-Lee v. Election Board Members, 8 Am. Tribal Law 35 (hochunkct 2009).

Opinion

ORDER (Granting Motion to Dismiss)

AMANDA L. ROCKMAN, Associate Judge.

INTRODUCTION

The Court must determine whether to grant the relief requested by the plaintiffs. On January 14, 2009, the plaintiffs, Muriel Whiteagle-I.ee and Melody Whi-teagle-Fintak, filed a Complaint, stating that the Election Board was acting unlawfully because they were not officially ap[36]*36pointed,1 and subsequently requesting the Court to enjoin the March 19, 2009 General Primary Election due to the fact that the Milwaukee area does not have representation under the 2008 Redistricting Scenario.2 The Court hereby grants the Motion to Dismiss for the reasons articulated within the decision portion of this judgment.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The plaintiffs, Muriel Whiteagle-Lee and Melody Whiteagle-Fintak, initiated the current action by filing the January 14, 2009 Complaint, Consequently, the Court issued a Summons accompanied by the above-mentioned Complaint on January 14, 2009, and served the documents upon the defendant’s representative, Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Justice (hereinafter DOJ),3 by personal service as permitted by HCN R. Civ. P. 5(C)(1). The Summons informed the respondent of the right to file an Answer within twenty (20) days of the issuance of the Summons pursuant to HCN R. Civ. P. 5(A)(2). The defendant, by and through DOJ Attorney Michelle M. Greendeer, filed a timely Answer on January 30, 2009, asking the Court to deny the Complaint based on the facts presented. See Defendant’s Answer at 7. The defendant, through DOJ Attorney Michelle Greendeer, submitted defendant’s Exhibits A-D concerning the election board proceedings, proper notice of special election and legislative resolution seating the election board. See generally Defendant’s Answer. Furthermore, the defendant’s filed a Motion for Dismissal on February 3, 2009, and a supplement to the motion for dismissal on February 9, 2009. The plaintiffs filed a response to the motion to dismiss on February 10, 2009. Both parties requested a hearing before the Court.

In response, the Court mailed Notice(s) of Hearing to the identified parties on February 12, 2009, informing them of the date, time and location of the Hearing. The Court convened the Hearing on February 18, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. CST. The following parties appeared at the Hearing: Muriel Whiteagle-Lee, plaintiff; Melody Whiteagle-Fintak, plaintiff; Judith A. Whitehorse, defendant’s designated representative (by telephone); and DOJ Attorney Michell M. Greendeer, defendant’s counsel.

APPLICABLE LAW

CONSTITUTION OF THE HO-CHUNK NATION (Reprinted Jan. 25, 2008)

Art. V—Legislature

Sec. 1. Composition of the Legislature.

(b) The Legislature shall be composed of Representatives from the following Dis[37]*37tricts, subject to Section 4 of this Article: the Black River Falls District, consisting of Clark, Eau Claire and Jackson counties, which shall elect three (3) members; the Wisconsin Dells District, consisting of Wood, Juneau, Adams, Columbia, and Sauk counties, which shall select three (3) members; and the La Crosse-Tomah District, consisting of La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon, and Crawford counties, which shall elect one (1) member; and the Wit-tenberg District, consisting of Marathon and Shawano counties, which shall elect one (1) member; and three (3) members which shall be elected at-large from outside the Districts listed above.

Sec. 4. Redistricting or Reapportionment. The Legislature shall have the power to redistrict or reapportion including changing, establishing, or discontinuing Districts. The Legislature shall maintain an accurate census for the purposes of redistricting or reapportionment. The Legislature shall redistrict and reapportion at least once every five (5) years beginning in 1995, in pursuit of one-person/one-vote representation. The Legislature shall exercise this power only by submitting a final proposal to the vote of the people by Special Election which shall be binding and which shall not be reversible by the General Council. Any redistricting or reapportionment shall be completed at least six (6) months prior to the next election, and notice shall be provided to the voters.

Sec. 6. Temía of Office. Members of the Legislature shall serve four (4) year terms which shall be staggered. Legislators shall represent their respective Districts until their successors have been sworn into office except if the Legislator has been successfully removed or recalled in accordance with this Constitution. Members of the Legislature shall be elected by a majority vote of the eligible voters from their respective Districts.

Art. VII—Judiciary

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.

Sec. 10. Election of Supreme Court Justices. Supreme Court Justices shall be elected by a majority of the eligible voters of the Ho-Chunk Nation, in accordance with the General Election provisions of Article VIII, Section 1, unless otherwise provided.

Art. VIII Elections

Sec. 2. Special Elections. Special Elections shall be held when called for by the General Council, the Legislature, or by this Constitution or appropriate ordinances. In all Special Elections, notice shall be provided to the voters.

Sec. 4. Election Board. The Legislature shall enact a law creating an Election Board. The Election Board shall conduct all General and Special Elections. At least sixty (60) days before the election, the Election Board may adopt rules and regulations governing elections. Election Board members shall serve for two (2) years. Election Board members may serve more than one term. The Legislature may remove Election Board members for good cause.

Art. XIII Amendments

Sec. 1. Requirements. This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the qualified voters of the Ho-Chunk Nation voting at an election called for that purpose by the Secretary of the Interior, provided, that at least thirty (30) percent of those entitled to vote shall vote in such election; but no amendment shall become [38]*38effective until approved by the Secretary of the Interior or until deemed approved by the Secretary by operation of law. If the voters adopt the amendment(s), the Secretary of the Interior shall approve such amendment(s) within forty-five (45) days after the election unless the amendment(s) are contrary to applicable law.

Sec. 2. Requests for a Secretarial Election. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to call and hold an election on any proposed amendment to this Constitution at the request of two-thirds (2/3) of the entire Legislature, at the request of the General Council, or upon presentation of a petition signed by thirty (30) percent of the eligible voters of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Legislative History of Redistricting and Reapportionment, Section 1(B), Article V—Legislature, Constitution of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Article V—Legislature

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8 Am. Tribal Law 35, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/whiteagle-lee-v-election-board-members-hochunkct-2009.