Tohono O’odham Nation v. City of Glendale, 804 F.3d 1292 (9th Cir. 2015)

Tohono O’odham Nation v. City of Glendale is a reminder of the tension between state governments and the federal government. It also reflects continued unease with tribal gaming policies. The Ninth Circuit reiterated the longstanding federal preemption doctrine to override the State of Arizona and City of Glendale’s attempted circumvention of the Gila River Bend Indian Reservation Land Replacement Act. In doing so, the court prevented state legislation from undermining the Tohono O’odham Nation’s ability to obtain replacement lands for its reservation.