United States v. Ruiz and United States v. Hebert — 10th Cir. (argued August 17, 2026)
The full Tenth Circuit hears United States versus Ruiz and United States versus Hebert together. Separate juries convicted Joel Ruiz and Dennis Hebert of federal sexual-abuse offenses in Indian country. Separate appellate panels later held that prosecutors had not proved either defendant was a non-Indian, as circuit precedent required. The full court vacated those judgments. It will reconsider whether non-Indian status is an element the government must prove or an affirmative defense the defendant must raise, who bears the ultimate burden, and whether the cases may be retried if the rule changes.
United States v. Ruiz and United States v. Hebert (No. 24-2128 & 24-7030) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, argued August 17, 2026.
Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/oralarguments/24-7030_enbanc.mp3
Argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/oralargument/search-results?field_oa_hearing_date_value%5Bmin%5D%5Bdate%5D=08%2F01%2F2026&field_oa_hearing_date_value%5Bmax%5D%5Bdate%5D=08%2F18%2F2026
Panel opinion — United States v. Hebert:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/opinions/010111338503.pdf
Revised panel opinion — United States v. Ruiz:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/opinions/010111377175.pdf
Order granting rehearing en banc — Tenth Circuit:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/opinions/010111430408.pdf
Opinion search for No. 24-7030 — Tenth Circuit:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/opinion/search?combine=24-7030
Opinion search for No. 24-2128 — Tenth Circuit:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/opinion/search?combine=24-2128
Filed brief (copy) — United States' supplemental en banc brief:https://turtletalk.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/us-en-banc-brief.pdf
Filed brief (copy) — Joel Ruiz's response to rehearing petition:https://turtletalk.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/response.pdf
Filed brief (copy) — Dennis Hebert's response to rehearing petition:https://turtletalk.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/response-1.pdf
Statute — 18 U.S.C. § 1152 (General Crimes Act):https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1152%20edition:prelim)
Statute — 18 U.S.C. § 1151 (Indian country defined):https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1151&num=0&edition=prelim
McGirt v. Oklahoma — Supreme Court opinion:https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-9526_9okb.pdf
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:54Advocate — Violet N. D. Edelman
- 2:50Section 1152 and Indian status
- 16:40Advocate — Jared T. Guemmer
- 30:00Advocate — C. Paige Messec