October Term 2011 · Docket 11-551
Can the Interior Secretary withhold tribal funds to enforce spending caps?
The Ramah Navajo Chapter claims the Interior Secretary illegally withheld funds. The Secretary argues the law requires him to enforce spending limits.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Freeman argued the funding dispute stems from two distinctive features of the ISDA scheme.
Mr. Phillips argued the Ferris doctrine is the fundamental issue in this case.
Justice Sotomayor stated she did not think the Federal Circuit was right about the appropriation.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 51-13 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 51-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The Ramah Navajo Chapter wants the court to order the Interior Secretary to pay withheld funds. The Secretary wants the court to confirm his power to withhold funds to enforce statutory caps.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 18, 2012.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 13-17
What each side wants
The Ramah Navajo Chapter wants the court to order the Secretary to pay the withheld funds.
The Secretary wants the court to confirm his authority to withhold funds to enforce caps.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
What each side says
The Ramah Navajo Chapter argues the Secretary must pay all approved tribal funds.
The Secretary argues the law requires him to withhold funds to enforce spending limits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked why the same statutory language means different things in different acts.
Justice Sotomayor asked if the Secretary could have acted differently regarding the payments.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 51-13 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 51-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-47
Why it matters
This case defines the Secretary's power to withhold tribal funds. It determines how the government enforces spending caps on tribal programs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 51-13 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 51-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-47
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 19-23
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.