Jeannette Wolfley

Fellow since 2017

Jeanette is an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes residing on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. She retired from the practice of law in Idaho in January 2026 and holds emeritus or inactive status in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. During 2025, she transitioned out of the practice of law by working with her community youth on a climate change project funded by a foundation.
Prior to retiring, beginning in 1982, she practiced in the field of Federal Indian law and natural resources protection, and represented numerous tribal governments throughout the United States.

Degrees

University of Minnesota, B.A. 1979
University of New Mexico School of Law, J.D. 1982

Admissions

Colorado
Idaho
New Mexico
Wyoming

Court Admissions

Supreme Court of the United States
State of Colorado (1983)
State of Idaho (1989)
State of Wyoming (2012)
State of New Mexico (2015)
United States Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and District of Columbia Circuits
United States Court of Federal Claims
United States District Courts of Colorado and Idaho
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Fort Hall Indian Reservation, Idaho
Shoshone and Arapahoe Tribes, Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming
Pro Hac Vice admission to the United States District Courts of South Dakota, Nevada, Michigan,
NewYork, Washington, and District of Columbia, the State Courts of California, Arizona, Montana, and
the Tribal Court of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana

Professional Societies and Organizations

American Bar Association
Section on Environment, Energy and Resources Law
Section on Environmental Law
Section on Natural Resources and Energy Law

Other Environmental Career Experience

Professor of Law, University of New Mexico School of Law (July 2013-June 2021) Courses taught: Federal Indian Law, Federal Jurisdiction, Indian Water Rights, Tribal Natural and Cultural Resources, Economic Development in Indian Country, Federal Legislation, Gaming Law; Attorney for Natural Resources and Environmental Law Clinic at University of New Mexico School of Law (2018 - 2021)Attorney, General Counsel and Special Counsel for Shoshone-Bannock Tribes for natural resources and environmental matters (1988 - 2024)
Attorney for various Tribal governments in Wyoming, California, Idaho and New Mexico (2010 - 2023) for Federal Indian law matters
Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund, Boulder, CO (August 1982 - July 1988)
Judge, Southwest Intertribal Court of Appeals. Albuquerque, New Mexico. July 2015 – 2022. Serves as an Appellate Judge for Tribal Courts located in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah, which reviews trial level court decisions.

Representative Publications (not including ACOEL Blogs)

Law Review Articles
“Tribal Environmental Regulatory Programs: Providing Meaningful Involvement and Fair Treatment” 29
Journal of Environmental Law & Litigation 389 (2014).
“You Gotta Fight For the Right to Vote: Enfranchising Native American Voters” 18:1 U.Pa.J.Const. L.
266 (Fall 2015)
“Biagaweit: Securing Water from the Mighty River in the Snake River Basin Adjudication” 52 Idaho L.
Rev.313 (2016).
“Reclaiming a Presence in Ancestral Lands: The Return of Native Peoples to the National Parks” Nat.
Res. J. (2016).
“Jim Crow, Indian Style: The Disenfranchisement of Native Americans,” 16 AmInd. L. Rev. 167 (1991)
(Peer reviewed).
“Rice v. Cayetano: The Supreme Court Declines to Extend Federal Indian Law Principles to Native
Hawaiians Sovereign Rights,” Symposium Article for University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson
School of Laws’ Panel on “Beyond Rice v. Cayetano: Its Impacts and Progeny,” April 18, 2002, Asian-
Pacific Law & Policy Journal, Vol. 3 Issue 2, 359 (Summer 2002).
Chapter in Book
Chapter 15 in Contemporary Native American Cultural Issues, D. Champagne (ed.) (Altamira Press
1999).

Illustrative Projects

No projects

Citations of Major Published Cases

1. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. Salazar: Tribal case against United States for mismanagement of tribal trust accounts and fund, and natural resources damages. Negotiated settlement of $60 million for Tribes. Case filed in the federal District Court of District of Columbia.
2. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. FMC Corporation: Tribal employment rights and jurisdiction of the tribal court over non-Indians doing business on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Supreme Court denied review.
3. WH Land and Livestock v. BLM: Intervened in administrative proceeding on behalf of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to protect the Tribes’ exercise of grazing rights reserved under Treaty and federal law.
4. City of Pocatello v. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes et al., Successfully challenged the City of Pocatello’s claims to water rights which would have adversely impacted the Tribes reserved water rights. Idaho Supreme Court ruled in favor or Tribes, and the United States Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari review.
5. State of Idaho v. Bitt: Successfully challenged the constitutionality of City of Pocatello's loitering ordinances before the Idaho Supreme Court.
6. Buckanaga v. Sisseton School District: Section 2 Voting Rights Act challenge to an at-large school board election scheme in South Dakota was upheld by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
7. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. Janet Reno: Challenge to the United States refusal to file in stream flow water rights claims on behalf of Shoshone Bannock Tribes before District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals.
8. Wilson v. Department of Interior: Successfully represented Walker River Paiute Tribe in challenge to mining lease let by Bureau of Indian Affairs without consent of Indian tribe in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
9. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. Department of Energy: Successfully challenged under the National Environmental Policy Act the failure of Department of Energy to properly consult and assess tribal needs and impacts of federal actions on reservation in the federal District Court of Idaho.
10. Northwest Pipeline Corporation v. 95.6 Acres: Successfully defended condemnation action against individual tribal members in the federal District Court of Idaho. Negotiated settlement with gas company for right-of-way.
11. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. State of Idaho: Challenge to Idaho state gaming laws and constitutional amendments in federal District Court of Idaho.
12. Robles v. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes: Successfully represented Tribes in employment case involving jurisdiction of the tribal court to hear matter arising on reservation before the Idaho Supreme Court.