Black Hills Institute of Geological Research v. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

MAGILL, Circuit Judge.

Black Hills Institute of Geological Research and Black Hills Museum of Natural History Foundation (collectively, “Black Hills”) appeal the district court’s1 judgment in favor of the United States. The district court found that the United States holds title to a valuable Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton (“the fossil” or “Sue”) in trust for Maurice Williams (‘Williams”), an individual Indian who is the beneficial owner of trust land on which Black Hills discovered the fossil. Joseph M. Butler appeals separately from the district court’s order imposing Rule 11 sanctions on Butler…