Atwood

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

ROSS ATWOOD, 

Plaintiff-Appellant, No. 06-35299 v. FORT PECK TRIBAL COURT  D.C. No.

CV-05-00165-RFC

ASSINIBOINE AND SIOUX TRIBES; and

OPINION

LINDA L. FLYNN HANSON,

Defendants-Appellees.  Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Montana Richard F. Cebull, District Judge, Presiding

Submitted November 6, 2007* Seattle, Washington

Filed January 18, 2008

Before: William C. Canby, Jr., Susan P. Graber, and Ronald M. Gould, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Graber

*The panel unanimously finds this case suitable for decision without oral argument. Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). COUNSEL

J. Gregory Tomicich, Billings, Montana, for the plaintiff- appellant.

Ryan C. Rusche, Poplar, Montana, and Carol C. Johns, Wolf Point, Montana, for the defendants-appellees.

OPINION

GRABER, Circuit Judge:

This case involves a custody dispute concerning an Indian child, Lexie. After the untimely death of Lexie’s mother, Lexie’s maternal aunt, Defendant Linda L. Flynn Hanson, sought custody through Defendant Fort Peck…