Federal judge blocks village lawsuit against Native corporation

KODIAK -- A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the Native village of Karluk to sue Koniag Inc., saying the Karluk tribal court lacks jurisdiction over Kodiak Island's regional Native corporation.

The Kodiak Daily Mirror says the case stems from an attempt by Koniag in the 1980s to assimilate village Native corporations in the Kodiak archipelago. Some village corporation shareholders sued to block the move.

When the lawsuit was upheld, the village corporations of Karluk and Larsen Bay chose to continue with the merger.

Early this year, the Native Village of Karluk brought a case in its tribal court, seeking to reverse that process and re-create a Karluk Native Corp.

To stop the lawsuit, Koniag turned to the federal court, which can decide the limits of a tribal court's jurisdiction.

Associated Press