Smith v. Babbitt

BEAM, Circuit Judge.

Louise Smith, et al., appeal the district court’s2 dismissal of their actions alleging, inter alia, violations of the Indian Gaming Regulation Act. Because this dispute essentially involves a question of tribal membership, an intra-tribal matter, this court is without jurisdiction to consider this appeal. Consequently, we affirm the district court’s orders granting summary judgment and dismissing this action.

I. BACKGROUND

The Mdewakanton Sioux Tribe (the Tribe) runs a gaming establishment on federal trust land located near Prior Lake, Minnesota. The establishment has, thus…