Penobscott Nation, et al v. Frey, et al

  1. July 09, 2021

    Split 1st Circ. Says River Tribe's Land Ends At Water's Edge

    The Penobscot Nation's reservation in Maine includes a set of islands on the Penobscot river but not the waters surrounding the islands or the land underneath, a majority of the full First Circuit said Thursday.

  2. September 22, 2020

    Full 1st Circ. Asks Maine How Tribe Can Fish With No Water

    A full First Circuit on Tuesday struggled with Maine's assertion that the "rivering" Penobscot Nation could simultaneously keep its rights to fish on its reservation while giving up the title to the surrounding waters, prompting one judge to demand a straight answer from the state's attorney.

  3. August 14, 2020

    Tribe, Feds Spar With Maine Over River Rights At 1st Circ.

    The Penobscot Nation and the federal government have pressed the full First Circuit to rule that all of the Penobscot River is part of the tribe's reservation, while Maine and several towns argue that the tribe's authority and fishing rights are clearly limited to the islands in the river.

  4. July 16, 2020

    Lawmakers Back Penobscot Nation Rights In Maine River

    Leaders of the Congressional Native American Caucus have urged the First Circuit to rule that the Penobscot Nation has authority over its namesake river's waters in Maine, saying Congress intended the river to be part of the tribe's reservation and the court should help the government satisfy its obligations to the tribe.

  5. April 09, 2020

    1st Circ. Will Rehear Penobscot Tribe's Water Rights Case

    The First Circuit will review en banc a divided panel ruling that the Penobscot Indian Nation can't lay claim to the Penobscot River's waters in Maine, agreeing to consider the federal government and tribe's argument that the waters should be part of the tribe's reservation.

  6. May 03, 2017

    Maine River Is Part Of Reservation, Tribe Tells 1st Circ.

    The Penobscot Nation tribe told the First Circuit on Wednesday in a territorial dispute with Maine that its reservation includes not just 146 islands in the Penobscot River, but the waters of the river from bank to bank.

  7. December 01, 2016

    Maine Tells 1st Circ. Not To Expand Tribe's River Rights

    The state of Maine urged the First Circuit on Wednesday to cement a lower court's conclusion that the Penobscot Nation's reservation includes the islands but not the waters in a certain part of the Penobscot River, saying the tribe's attempt to expand its reservation's boundaries should be rejected.

  8. October 21, 2016

    Maine Slams Would-Be Amicus In Tribe's River Rights Row

    The Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission should not get extra time to prepare a brief it has no place filing in the first place concerning a First Circuit challenge to a decision limiting the Penobscot Nation's reservation boundaries, the state said Thursday.