In a surprising turn of events, an Idaho federal judge, Amanda K. Brailsford, has reinstated two Quiet Title Act claims made by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation against the federal government. This decision comes amid a heated dispute over land formerly utilized by a railway. The judge’s ruling stems from a recent Supreme Court decision, injecting a burst of uncertainty into the legal proceedings.
Supreme Court’s Impact on Railroad Dispute
U.S. District Judge Brailsford, acknowledging the implications of the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Wilkins v. United States last March, agreed that the Quiet Title Act’s 12-year statute of limitations is a procedural rule rather than a strict jurisdictional constraint. This ruling mandated a reconsideration of the dismissal of the tribes’ claims, breathing new life into Counts V and VI of the lawsuit.
“This holding reversed the precedent the court relied on in its December 2021 decision and renders the dismissal of Counts V and VI clearly erroneous,” stated Judge Brailsford in an order issued on Monday.
Ejectment Claim Denied, Multiple Decisions Remain Unaltered
Despite the revival of certain claims, the judge denied the tribes’ attempt to reinstate an ejectment claim against the Bureau of Land Management. Emphasizing that the Supreme Court had not overturned the Block v. North Dakota precedent, Judge Brailsford maintained that the Quiet Title Act remains the exclusive avenue to challenge the United States’ title to real property.
