The Mashpee Wampanoag fought to keep its lawsuit against the federal government in Washington, and it is celebrating a win as the suit will stay in DC.
Opponents of the suit challenging the Department of the Interior's determination last year, saying that the tribe does not qualify to have its land held in trust wanted to move the litigation to Massachusetts, but a judge ruled the other way last week.
Reasons listed included that the decision on the suit could impact tribes across the U.S.
Had the case gone back to Massachusetts, it would have gone to federal judge William Young, who ruled in 2016 that the tribe was disqualified for land trust status after a suit was filed by residents in Taunton who were fighting the Mashpee's effort to build a casino there.
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