Menominee Tribe of Wis. v. United States facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin v. United States |
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| Argued December 1, 2015 Decided January 25, 2016 |
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| Full case name | Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Petitioner v. United States |
| Docket nos. | 14–510 |
| Citations | 577 U.S. ___ (more)
136 S. Ct. 750; 193 L. Ed. 2d 652
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| Prior history | Summary judgment granted, 841 F. Supp. 2d 99 (D.D.C. 2012); affirmed, 764 F.3d 51 (D.C. Cir. 2014); cert. granted, 135 S. Ct. 2927 (2015). |
| Holding | |
| Plaintiff was not entitled to equitable tolling because they did not demonstrate "extraordinary circumstances" | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Alito, joined by unanimous |
| Laws applied | |
| Contract Disputes Act of 1978, 41 U.S.C. § 7101 et seq., | |
Menominee Tribe of Wis. v. United States was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2016. This case helped to make it clear when people or groups can get extra time to file a lawsuit. This extra time is called "equitable tolling."
The Court's decision was made by all the judges agreeing. Justice Samuel Alito wrote the main opinion. The Court decided that the Menominee Tribe could not get this extra time. This was because they did not show that "extraordinary circumstances" stopped them from filing their lawsuit on time.
Contents
Understanding the Case: What Happened?
This case started because of a disagreement between the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin and the U.S. government. The Tribe said that the government did not give enough money for aid programs. These programs were set up under a law called the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975.
Why Was the Lawsuit Delayed?
The U.S. government argued that the Tribe waited too long to file their lawsuit. There is a law called the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 that says lawsuits like this must be filed within six years. This time limit is called a "statute of limitations."
The Tribe, however, argued that they should get more time. They said that a similar big lawsuit, called a class action, was already happening. This other lawsuit lasted for almost two years before the Tribe filed their own case. They believed this situation should allow them "equitable tolling."
What is Equitable Tolling?
Equitable tolling means a court can pause or extend a time limit for filing a lawsuit. This happens when someone could not file on time because of very unusual or "extraordinary circumstances." It also requires that the person was trying hard to file their case.
How Did the Courts Decide?
- The first court, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, said the Tribe could not get equitable tolling. They ruled that the Tribe did not show "extraordinary circumstances."
- The Tribe then appealed this decision. The next court, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, agreed with the first court.
- Finally, the case went to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided to hear the case because different appeals courts had different ideas about when equitable tolling should be allowed. This difference is called a "circuit split."
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court, with all judges agreeing, decided that the Menominee Tribe was not allowed to have the time limit extended. Justice Samuel Alito wrote the Court's opinion.
What Did the Court Say About Equitable Tolling?
Justice Alito explained that to get equitable tolling, two things must be true:
- First, the person or group must have been working hard to pursue their claims. This is called "diligently pursuing their claims."
- Second, there must have been "extraordinary circumstances" that truly stopped them from filing on time.
He also said that these two things are not just suggestions. They are necessary parts that must both be present. The Court found that the Menominee Tribe did not show that there were "extraordinary circumstances" in their case. Because of this, they could not get the extra time they asked for.
