Tribes Needed As Parties, But Their Immunity Bars Joinder To Water Rights Suits

Mealey's (September 29, 2020, 8:52 AM EDT) -- MEDFORD, Ore. — An Oregon federal judge on Sept. 25 adopted in full a magistrate judge's recommendation and dismissed consolidated water rights cases filed by farmers and water districts in the Klamath Basin for failure to join two Indian tribes that are required parties but cannot be added to the dispute due to their sovereign immunity (Klamath Irrigation District, et al. v. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, et al., Nos. 19-451 and 19-531, D. Ore., 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 177212)....