8/27/2020
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INDIAN LAW BULLETINS | FEDERAL COURTS 2020 | FELY GOODFACE V. LOWER BRULE SIOUX
TRIBE 2020 ELECTION BOARD
2020 WL 5017352
Only the Westlaw citation is currently available.
United States District Court, D. South Dakota, Central Division.
FELY GOODFACE, Plaintiff,
v.
LOWER BRULE SIOUX TRIBE 2020 ELECTION BOARD, LYDIA SAZUE, CHAIRPERSON; BESSIE
LOUDNER, VICE CHAIRPERSON; D. KAREN JONES, SECRETARY; FEDELIA SKUNK, BOARD
MEMBER; and JOELLE BATTESE, BOARD MEMBER, Defendants.
3 20-CV-03014-RAL
|
Filed 08/25/2020
OPINION AND ORDER DISMISSING CASE FOR LACK OF JURISDICTION
ROBERTO A. LANGE CHIEF JUDGE
Plaintiff Fely Goodface, proceeding pro se, led this lawsuit against the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
2020 Election Board (Election Board) and several of the Board’s members. Doc. 1. Goodface
alleges that the Election Board denied her petition to be a candidate for the September 1, 2020
Tribal Council Election even though she met the eligibility requirements in the Lower Brule
Sioux Tribe’s Constitution and Bylaws. Doc. 1. She alleges that the Election Board never noti ed
her of her disquali cation or her right to appeal and that when she inquired about her petition
during a meeting in July 2020, the Election Board again denied her petition and right to appeal.
Doc. 1. Goodface claims that she presented her case to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribal Council in
early August 2020 but that it denied her request to reinstate her candidacy. According to
Goodface, the Election Board, tribal attorney, and some members of the Tribal Council have
conspired to disqualify eligible candidates from the tribal election. Doc. 1. Goodface asks this
Court to “[e]nforce her constitutional right to due process and equal protection” by holding an
“expedited” hearing to determine whether she should be a candidate in the September 1, 2020
Tribal Council Election; to declare the 2020 election process unlawful and to “disqualify” the
2020 Election Board Members for “violating applicable laws of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe’s
members”; and to award her money damages. Doc. 1. Goodface has paid the ling fee but has
moved for appointment of counsel. Doc. 3.
https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/documents/goodface_v_lowerbrule.html
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