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Cobell Lawsuit: Plaintiffs, U.S. Agree
to Mediators
Steady Progress in Cobell v Norton Class Action Lawsuit:
Plaintiffs, U.S. Agree to Mediators in Trust Fund Lawsuit
From: Resources Communications
Contact:
Paul Moorehead 202-224-2251 (Chairman Campbell),
Patricia Zell 202-224-2251 (Vice-Chairman Inouye),
Nicole Andrews or Brian Kennedy 202-226-9019 (Chairman Pombo),
Kristen Bossi 202-226-1736 (Ranking Member Rahall)
Steady Progress in Cobell v Norton Class Action Lawsuit: Plaintiffs,
U.S. Agree to Mediators in Trust Fund Lawsuit
Washington, DC - After months of encouragement from the Senate Indian
Affairs and the House Resources Committees, on Friday attorneys for
the class of several hundred thousand Indian plaintiffs and
representatives for the United States agreed to have Judge Charles
Renfrew and Mr. John Bickerman serve as co-mediators of the eight-year
old Cobell v Norton lawsuit.
Beginning in December 2003, the plaintiffs, defendants, and
congressional staff have held a series of intense discussions designed
to reach a mediated settlement. Renfrew and Bickerman have indicated
their availability and willingness to serve as co-mediators and were
selected from among eight candidates interviewed by the parties.
"I am very pleased the parties have come together and agreed to
have these two distinguished men help bring a reasonable end to this
case," said Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs.
"I commend the parties for agreeing to have these two gentlemen,
known for their fairness and equity, aid in the long overdue
resolution of this case," said Committee on Resources Chairman
Richard W. Pombo. "This is another hopeful step in a very
complicated case in which hundreds of thousands of individual Indians
await a final and just conclusion."
Charles Renfrew was appointed as a Federal district court judge in
California by President Nixon and served as Deputy Attorney General of
the United States during the Carter Administration. He has also served
as general counsel of Chevron Corporation and is currently Chairman of
the Board of Directors of CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Mr. Bickerman is a full-time attorney-mediator in Washington, DC. Over
the past 10 years he has mediated complex environmental, public
policy, and commercial disputes, including disputes involving Indian
tribes. He has taught dispute resolution courses, written articles and
edited a book on the subject, focusing on the ethical issues
confronting the dispute resolution profession. He is the Secretary of
the Dispute Resolution Section of the American Bar Association.
The Individual Indian Money Account system was created in the late
19th century when vast tracts of tribally owned lands were broken up
and allotted to individual Indians. The revenues from oil, gas, timber
and other resources were deposited in accounts managed by the
United States Department of Interior for the Indians.
Daniel K. Inouye, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian
Affairs, said, "I pray that we are finally on our way to
resolution of this long-standing litigation. Too many beneficiaries
have died while waiting for this matter to be resolved."
U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, (D-WV), the Ranking Democrat on the House
Resources Committee, said, "I am pleased that mediators have been
selected so that negotiations can move forward in good faith, as the
eyes of Indian Country will be watching to see who is serious about
resolving this lawsuit. We cannot fail in this endeavor as the scars
of this injustice are so deep and a resolution is so close."
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