Tennyson Boe v. Fort Belknap Indian Community

642 F.2d 276 Tennyson BOE, William Bradley, Edward Filesteel, Vera Garmann, Warren Matte, Pete Tucker, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. FORT BELKNAP INDIAN COMMUNITY OF FORT BELKNAP RESERVATION, Charles D. Plumage, John Allen, Donovan Archambault, Frank Cuts the Rope, Randy Perez, in their official capacities as members of the Community Council of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, Michael V. Campbell, Loretta Bell, Delmar J. Bigby, * Defendants-Appellees. No. 78-3367. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Oct. 14, 1980. Decided March 16, 1981. James W. Zion, Helena, Mont., on brief; James W. Spangelo, Havre, Mont., argued, for plaintiffs-appellants. Francis X. Lamebull, Harlem, Mont., for defendants-appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Montana. Before WRIGHT and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges, and PECKHAM, ** District Judge. J. BLAINE ANDERSON, Circuit Judge: 1 In this case, we must decide whether federal courts are empowered to grant relief in civil cases for the alleged violation of various tribal laws. The district court below answered this question in the negative. Boe v. Fort Belknap Indian Community, 455 F.Supp. 462…