A group of Native Americans, citing last week’s Supreme Court ruling declaring the state of Oklahoma does not have the right to adjudicate cases involving Natives living inside the boundaries of Native reservations, has filed a class action lawsuit against the state and various district attorneys demanding the return of all fees and fines paid by Native defendants.
“For more than a century,” the suit states, “the State of Oklahoma and its political subdivisions have investigated, detained, charged, arrested, imprisoned, fined and otherwise taken large sums of money from Native American people without the authority of law.”
The suit further alleges that the taking of fines from Natives have “unjustly enriched” the state and its political subdivisions with “ill-gotten gains.”
The suit seeks refunds of fines and fees paid by Native defendants. No number other than “greater than $10,000” is specified.
You can read the suit here (pdf, < 1mb).
