Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141 (2d Cir. 2004). · Go Syfert
Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141 (2d Cir. 2004). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
57 citation events (57 in the last 25 years) across 16 distinct courts.
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At page 143 Tribal immunity from suit and its limitations22 citing cases`On a motion invoking sovereign immunity to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, the plaintiff bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that jurisdiction exists.'" (quoting Garcia v. Akwesasne Hous. Auth., 268 F.3d 76, 84 (2d Cir.2001))4 citing courts put it this way · 19 listed here
  • Oneida Indian Nation v. Phillips, 981 F.3d 157 (2d Cir. 2020).published 2 cites
    (Indian tribes enjoy the same immunity from suit enjoyed by sovereign powers and are ‘subject to suit only where Congress has authorized the suit or the tribe has waived its immunity.’)
  • Cook v. AVI Casino Enter., Inc., 548 F.3d 718 (9th Cir. 2008).published 2 cites
    ([Plaintiff] cannot circumvent tribal immunity by merely naming officers or employees of the Tribe when the complaint concerns actions taken in defendants’ official or representative capacities and the complaint does no…)
  • Butrick v. Dine Dev. Corp., No. 3:23-cv-00884 (E.D. Va. Oct. 30, 2024).
    ([N]either abrogation nor waiver has occurred in this case. The FMLA makes no reference to the ‘amenity of Indian tribes to suit.’” (citation omitted))
  • Cayuga Nation v. Parker, No. 5:22-cv-00128 (N.D.N.Y. Jan. 9, 2023).
    “cannot circumvent tribal immunity by merely naming officers or employees of the Tribe when the complaint concerns actions taken in defendants’ official or representative capacities and the complaint does not allege they…”
  • Allegany Capital Enter., LLC v. Cox, No. 1:19-cv-00160 (W.D.N.Y. Feb. 12, 2021). 5 cites
    If the tribal official is sued in their official capacity, however, immunity then covers them for their official acts, Gristede’s Foods, Inc. v. Unkechuage Nation, 660 F. Supp. 2d 442, 478 (E.D.N.Y. 2009) (citing Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d…
  • Marshall v. United States, No. 2:19-cv-04221 (W.D. Mo. Nov. 25, 2020).
    VS Ltd Partnership v. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 235 F.3d 1109, 1112 (8th Cir. 2000); Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 143 (2d Cir. 2004).
  • Michigan v. Bay Mills Indian Cmty., 572 U.S. 782 (2014).published
    See, e.g., Cook v. AVI Casino Enterprises, Inc., 548 F. 3d 718 , 726–727 (CA9 2008); Native American Distributing v. Seneca-Cayuga Tobacco Co., 546 F. 3d 1288, 1296 (CA10 2008); Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F. 3d 141, 143 (CA2 2004) (per curiam);…
  • Gristede's Foods, Inc. v. Unkechuage Nation, 660 F. Supp. 2d 442 (E.D.N.Y. 2009).published
    Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 143 (2d Cir.2004).
  • Diversified Carting, Inc. v. City of New York, 423 F. Supp. 2d 85 (S.D.N.Y. 2005).published
    “the plaintiff bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that jurisdiction exists”
  • Borrelli v. Sec'y of Treasury, 343 F. Supp. 2d 249 (S.D.N.Y. 2004).published
    “the plaintiff bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that jurisdiction exists”
Show 9 more citing cases
  • Tassone v. Foxwoods Resort Casino, 519 F. App'x 27 (2d Cir. 2013).unpublished
    See Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 143 (2d Cir.2004); see also Bassett, 204 F.3d at 357-58 ; Worrall v. Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enter., 131 F.Supp.2d 328, 331 (D.Conn.2001).
  • Overton v. New York State Div. of Military & Naval Affairs, 373 F.3d 83 (2d Cir. 2004).published 2 cites
    (�On a motion invoking sovereign immunity to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, the plaintiff bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that jurisdiction exists.’ ” (quoting Garcia v. Akw…)
  • Darden v. Vines, No. 6:22-cv-00404 (W.D. La. Sept. 26, 2025).
    Co., 309 U.S. 506, 512 (1940)). 11 Dugan v. Rank, 372 U.S. 609, 620 (1963) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). one of the indignities sovereign immunity is designed to prevent arises when a tribe’s “sovereign prerogatives are…
  • Great Plains Lending, LLC v. Dep't of Banking, 259 A.3d 1128 (Conn. 2021).published
    (�‘[the plaintiff] cannot circumvent tribal immunity by merely naming officers or employees of the [t]ribe when the complaint concerns actions taken in [the] defendants’ official or representative capacities and the comp…)
  • Broidy Capital v. Benomar, 944 F.3d 436 (2d Cir. 2019).published
    See, e.g., Rosenberg v. Pasha, 577 F. App’x 22 , 14 See, e.g., Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 143 (2d Cir. 2004) (per curiam); Makarova, 201 F.3d at 113 ; Garcia v. Akwesasne Hous.
  • Sec. & Exch. Comm'n v. Comm. on Ways & Means of the U.S. House of Representatives, 161 F. Supp. 3d 199 (S.D.N.Y. 2015).published
    (‘On a motion invoking sovereign immunity to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, the plaintiff bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that jurisdiction exists.’)
  • Cangemi v. United States, 939 F. Supp. 2d 188 (E.D.N.Y. 2013).published
    Morrison, 547 F.3d at 170 ; see also Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141,143 (2d Cir.2004).
  • Thomas v. Venditto, 925 F. Supp. 2d 352 (E.D.N.Y. 2013).published
    Morrison, 547 F.3d at 170 ; see also Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141,143 (2d Cir.2004).
  • Cna v. United States, 535 F.3d 132 (3d Cir. 2008).published 2 cites
    See, e.g., Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 143 (2d Cir. 2004); see also 5B Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R.
At page 142 Tribal immunity from suit as sovereign power3 citing casesWe affirm the district court’s dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because [the defendant tribal officials] are immune from this suit. ... Indian tribes enjoy the same immunity from suit enjoyed by sovereign powers ... and neither abrogation nor waiver has occurred in this case.1 citing court put it this way
  • Oneida Indian Nation v. Phillips, 981 F.3d 157 (2d Cir. 2020).published 2 cites
    The recognition of this rule for the sovereign immunity of the United States is significant because “[t]ribal sovereign immunity is deemed to be coextensive with the sovereign immunity of the United States.” Miner Elec., Inc. v. Muscogee (…
  • Ramos v. Internal Revenue Serv., 351 F. Supp. 2d 5 (N.D.N.Y. 2004).published
    Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 142-43 (2d Cir.2004).
  • Sun v. Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enter., 309 F.R.D. 157 (D. Conn. 2015).published
    See Chayoon v. Chao, 355 F.3d 141, 142-43 (2d Cir.2004) (affirming district court’s dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because defendants were protected by tribal sovereign immunity).
Other citing cases3 with no pin cite or quoted language on record
Joseph CHAYOON
v.
Elaine L. CHAO, United States Secretary of Labor, Movant-Appellee, Kenneth M. Reels, Richard A. Hayward, Pedro Johnson, Fatima Dames, Charlene Jones, John E. Perry, William J. Sherlock, James A. Rigot, Rich Tesler, Linda Smith, Mike Rich, Bruce Kirshner, Nafeezar Shabazz, Joann Frank, Fay E. Carlson, Dottie Killy, Foxwoods Mgmt. Team, Michael Thomas
No. 03-6143.
Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Jan 16, 2004.
Published opinion
355 F.3d 141
2004 WL 67919
2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 585
Joseph Chayoon, pro se, Westerly, RI, for Plaintiff-Appellant., Elizabeth Conway, Brown Jacobson P.C., Norwich, CT, for Defendants-Appel-lees., Lauren M. Nash, Assistant United States Attorney, New Haven, CT, (Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, of counsel, Jeffrey A. Meyer, Assistant United States Attorney, on the memorandum),for Mov-ant-Appellee.
Feinberg, Pauley, Wesley.
Cited by 26 opinions  |  Published
PER CURIAM.

Plaintiff-Appellant Joseph Chayoon appeals the district court’s dismissal of his Federal Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq., claim against several individuals who either hold positions on the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council or are officers and/or employees of Mash-antucket Pequot Gaming Enterprise, which operates the gaming facility known as Foxwoods Resort Casino. We affirm the district court’s dismissal for lack of[*143] subject matter jurisdiction because defendants are immune from this suit.[2]

“On a motion invoking sovereign immunity to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, the plaintiff bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that jurisdiction exists.” Garcia v. Akwesasne Hous. Auth., 268 F.3d 76, 84 (2d Cir.2001). This Court reviews the district court’s “factual findings for clear error and legal conclusions de novo.” Id. (quotation marks and citation omitted).

Indian tribes enjoy the same immunity from suit enjoyed by sovereign powers and are “subject to suit only where Congress has authorized the suit or the tribe has waived its immunity.” Kiowa Tribe of Okla. v. Mfg. Techs., Inc., 523 U.S. 751, 754, 118 S.Ct. 1700, 140 L.Ed.2d 981 (1998). “To abrogate tribal immunity, Congress must ‘unequivocally’ express that purpose,” and “to relinquish its immunity, a tribe’s waiver must be ‘clear.’ ” C & L Enters., Inc. v. Citizen Band Potawatomi Indian Tribe of Okla., 532 U.S. 411, 418, 121 S.Ct. 1589, 149 L.Ed.2d 623 (2001) (citations omitted). The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe is a federally recognized Indian tribe, Reich v. Mashantucket Sand & Gravel, 95 F.3d 174, 175 (2d Cir.1996), and neither abrogation nor waiver has occurred in this case. The FMLA makes no reference to the “ ‘amenity of Indian tribes to suit.’ ” Garcia, 268 F.3d at 86 (quoting Florida Paraplegic Ass’n v. Miccosukee Tribe, 166 F.3d 1126, 1133 (11th Cir.1999)). Furthermore, Chayoon cannot circumvent tribal immunity by merely naming officers or employees of the Tribe when the complaint concerns actions taken in defendants’ official or representative capacities and the complaint does not allege they acted outside the scope of their authority. See Oneida Indian Nation of New York v. City of Sherrill, 337 F.3d 139, 169 (2d Cir.2003). Finally, Chayoon did not request any injunctive or declaratory relief and therefore no exception to sovereign immunity is applicable. See Ex parte Young, 209 U.S. 123, 28 S.Ct. 441, 52 L.Ed. 714 (1908); see also Garcia, 268 F.3d at 87-88.

Chayoon fervently asserts that although he has a remedy in a tribal court, it is severely constrained in comparison to the procedural and substantive rights under the FMLA. That may well be, but only Congress can abrogate tribal immunity with an unequivocal expression of its intention to do so. C & L Enters. Inc., 532 U.S. at 418, 121 S.Ct. 1589. Foxwoods Resort Casino employs over 10,000 people and Native American gaming facilities are becoming more numerous throughout the country. Clearly, tribal sovereignty has the potential to deny many Americans employment benefits and rights that Congress has seen fit to extend to the private sector. See, e.g., Garcia., 268 F.3d at 85-86 (finding tribes immune from claims based on the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, §2 et seq., as amended, 29 U.S.C.A. § 621 et seq.). While judges, as citizens, may be sympathetic to the plight of people like Mr. Chayoon, the courts are without authority to remedy the matter. Mr. Chayoon’s remedy, if there is to be one, lies with Congress.

The district court’s order of March 21, 2003 is hereby AFFIRMED.

2

The district court also denied Chayoon’s motions to subpoena witnesses and join the United States Secretary of Labor. An independent review of the record and relevant case law reveals no errors in that regard.