TULSA, Okla — The deadline to file a claim regarding Indian land settlements is June 30.
Eloise Cobell filed the case to report the mismanagement of land, funds, and other assets by the federal government after the Dawes Act of 1887.
The law divided native reservations into plots and gave them to Native Americans.
In turn, they were granted U.S. citizenship and were required to abide by all U.S. laws.
Bill Dorris is a lawyer with the Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Firm.
“The reservation land was allotted to individual Indians, but the government held that land in trust for those Indians," said Dorris. "Over time, as a trustee, the government had not been able to provide an accurate accounting of what had been received and what was even held in trust."
He said this is why Eloise Cobell decided to file a lawsuit.
"That case went on from 1996 to being settled in 2009," said Dorris.
He said the government set aside $3.4 billion to compensate those who had not received their assets after the Dawes Act was enforced.
If you don’t know if you are eligible for compensation, Dorris said you can visit the Cobell Settlement website to find out if any of your ancestors were owed any assets.
"You can put in their tribal affiliation if you know what tribe that they were affiliated with," said Dorris. "You can find out if they're on that list of 17,000 people. If in fact you find somebody that you're an heir of."
Dorris said to file a claim, you need a probate order or an order that appoints someone as the executor or administrator of the estate.
We dearly want to get all of this money to the people that are entitled to it," he said. "Of the deceased class members, there are over 4000."
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