⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

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Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe v. United States — Fed. Cir. (argued September 8, 2026)

No. 25-1086 Argued September 8, 2026 Published September 9, 2026

The Federal Circuit considers responsibility for a deteriorating building on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. The United States built Building 2001 in 1959 on tribal trust land after the Oahe Dam flooded the old agency site. Federal and tribal offices shared it for decades, and the government made major repairs. The lower court rejected a contract claim before trial, then rejected trust and takings claims after trial. Those theories ask whether the government had to care for the building as tribal property or effectively deprived the Tribe of property. On appeal, the Tribe relies on an 1868 treaty, a 1954 relocation law, tribal resolutions, and decades of maintenance. The government says those sources required an agency on the reservation, not perpetual maintenance of this building for tribal use.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe v. United States (No. 25-1086) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, argued September 8, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/oral-arguments/25-1086_09082026.mp3
Argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit:https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/oral-argument/listen-to-oral-arguments/
Argument calendar and counsel — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit:https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/OralArguments/PublicCalendar-September2026.pdf
Summary-judgment opinion — U.S. Court of Federal Claims:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-cofc-1_20-cv-00126/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_20-cv-00126-0.pdf
Post-trial opinion — U.S. Court of Federal Claims:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-cofc-1_20-cv-00126/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_20-cv-00126-1.pdf
Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 — U.S. Government Publishing Office:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-15/pdf/STATUTE-15-Pg635.pdf
Cheyenne River Oahe Act of 1954 — U.S. Government Publishing Office:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-68/pdf/STATUTE-68-Pg1191.pdf
John L. Smeltzer — U.S. Department of Justice filing:https://www.justice.gov/osg/media/1325421/dl?inline=

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