Pawnee v. United States

DAVIS, Circuit Judge.

The underlying suit (transferred to the Claims Court from the District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma) was brought against the United States by Indians whose restricted Indian predecessors entered into oil and gas (primarily gas) leases on mining land (administered by the Interior Department) with oil companies; the action is for alleged violations of fiduciary duties by Interior in collecting royalties on those leases. The Claims Court held primarily that Interior had no fiduciary obligations toward the plaintiffs-appellants and accordingly dismissed for lack…