United States v. Southern Ute Tribe or Band of Indians

In 1951 the Southern Ute Tribe or Band of Indians, a part of the Confederated Bands of Utes, brought this claim before the Indian Claims Commission.1 The claim asserted that the United States had violated its fiduciary-duty to respondent by (1) disposing of 220,000 acres of land as “free homesteads” although obligated by 21 Stat. *160203-204 (1880) and 28 Stat. 678 (1895) to sell the acreage for the respondent’s benefit; and (2) by failing to account for the proceeds of 82,000 acres of land, which proceeds were, under the same Acts, to be held for the respondent’s benefit. The Government’s…