Swinomish Indian Tribal Community v BNSF Railway Company

  1. March 15, 2018

    BNSF Can't Derail Ruling In Wash. Tribe's Right-Of-Way Suit

    A Washington federal judge Thursday rejected BNSF Railway Co.'s attempt to call into question a tribe's ownership of land on which a disputed railroad runs after losing its argument that the latter's claims that its increased crude oil shipments breach a right-of-way easement agreement are preempted.

  2. August 15, 2017

    Wash. Tribe Blasts BNSF's Rethink Bid In Oil-Shipping Row

    The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community urged a Washington federal judge Monday to deny BNSF Railway Co.'s request to clarify a June ruling in favor of the tribe in a dispute over whether the railroad shipped crude oil across reservation land in violation of an agreement.

  3. June 23, 2017

    BNSF Seeks Clarity On Order In Tribe's Oil-Shipping Suit

    BNSF Railway Co. on Thursday asked a Washington federal judge to clarify a recent order disposing of one of the railroad's defenses in a dispute over the right to ship crude oil across a Native American tribe's land, saying the order could be read as more expansive than intended.

  4. June 09, 2017

    Washington Tribe Wins Limit To BNSF Oil Shipping

    A Washington federal judge on Thursday gave a state tribal community a favorable ruling in a dispute with BNSF Railway Co. over the right to transport large quantities of crude oil across tribal land, saying that the district court erred when it previously decided it had no power to enforce the parties' right-of-way agreement.

  5. February 13, 2017

    Wash. Tribe Insists Court Can Limit BNSF Oil Shipping

    A Washington state tribal community on Friday continued pressing for a new ruling in a dispute with BNSF Railway Co. over the right to transport large quantities of crude oil across tribal land, challenging the "assumptions" behind the court's decision that it had no power to enforce the parties' right-of-way agreement.

  6. February 08, 2017

    BNSF Asks Court To Stay Firm In Swinomish Oil Shipping Row

    BNSF Railway Co. urged a Washington federal judge Tuesday to reject the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community's bid for the reconsideration of a ruling that held the railroad breached a right-of-way easement agreement with the tribe but that the tribe must ask a different forum to limit the railroad's activity.

  7. January 30, 2017

    Swinomish Seek Redo In Oil Shipping Row With Railroad

    The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community asked a federal judge in Washington state Friday to reconsider his ruling that BNSF Railway Co. breached a right-of-way easement agreement with the tribe but that the Swinomish must ask a different forum to limit the railroad's activity.

  8. January 17, 2017

    Tribe Gets Partial Win In BNSF Oil Haul Spat

    A Washington federal judge concluded Friday that BNSF Railway Co. breached a right-of-way easement agreement with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community by increasing crude oil shipments across reservation land, but that the tribe must ask a different forum to limit the railroad company's activity.

  9. November 16, 2016

    Rail Regulator Won't Step Into Tribe, BNSF Oil Haul Spat

    The Surface Transportation Board refused Wednesday to insert itself into a rail service dispute related to the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community's ongoing federal suit alleging BNSF Railway Co. is violating a right-of-way easement agreement by hauling more-than-expected crude oil shipments across the tribe’s Washington reservation.

  10. September 14, 2016

    BNSF Gets Partial Win On Atty Docs In Tribe's Rail Suit

    A Washington state tribe opened itself up to discovery of a former in-house counsel's memorandum, but not of all the attorney-client documents BNSF Railway Co. seeks in a suit alleging it ships more crude oil across reservation land than an easement allows, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.