MASHPEE – The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe’s appeal of the federal court decision that the government could not take the Tribe’s land into trust in Taunton will be heard by the First Circuit Court in Boston this morning.
The Tribe is appealing a 2016 ruling that 321 acres of reservation land in Mashpee and Taunton could not be held in trust for the Tribe.
The tribe had broken ground already on the $1 billion First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton when the ruling came down.
“Through this appeal, the Tribe hopes to uphold the original Record of Decision accepting the Tribe’s land into trust,” said Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell.
The argument of the appeal, which begins at 9:30am will consist of 15 minutes of arguing for each side.
According to the Tribe, the Court will not reach a decision today but “will likely do so within the next several months”.
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