Rye v. Weasel

WINTERSHEIMER, Justice.

This appeal is from a decision of the Court of Appeals which determined that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continues to have exclusive jurisdiction over all custody proceedings involving the child. The Court of Appeals reversed a judgment of the Boyd Circuit Court which had granted custody of the child to Leilani Rye.

The issue is whether the application of the “Existing Indian Family Doctrine” is a proper basis for placing physical custody of the child pursuant to Kentucky law or whether the Indian Child Welfare Act provides exclusive tribal jurisdiction over child…