United States of America Ex Rel. Henry F. Cobell v. Joan R. Cobell, and Leona Conway, United States of America Ex Rel. Henry F. Cobell v. Joan R. Cobell, and the Honorable Judge John Sharp and Theblackfeet Tribal Court

503 F.2d 790 UNITED STATES of America ex rel. Henry F. COBELL, Petitioner-Appellee, v. Joan R. COBELL et al., Respondents, and Leona Conway, Respondent-Appellant. UNITED STATES of America ex rel. Henry F. COBELL, Petitioner-Appellee, v. Joan R. COBELL et al., Respondents, and The Honorable Judge John Sharp and theBlackfeet Tribal Court, Respondents-Appellants. Nos. 72-3175, 73-1071. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Sept. 5, 1974. Donald R. Marble (argued) of Bunn & Marble, Chester, Mont., for appellants in 72-3175. John T. McDermott (argued), Director, Indian Law Program, University of Montana, School of Law, Missoula, Mont., for appellants in 73-1071. D. Patrick McKittrick (argued), Great Falls, Mont., for appellee. Before DUNIWAY and TRASK, Circuit Judges, and SHARP, * District judge. OPINION TRASK, Circuit Judge: 1 This is a unique child custody struggle involving the conflicting jurisdictional claims of the Montana state courts and the Blackfeet Tribal Court. The controversy comes before us on appeal from the granting of a writ of habeas corpus by the federal district court pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 1303. 1 2 Henry and Joan Cobell, the parents of the two minor…