25 USC 695 - Tribal Property

(a) Procedure for transfer

Upon request of a tribe, the Secretary is authorized within two years from August 13, 1954, to transfer to a corporation or other legal entity organized by the tribe in a form satisfactory to the Secretary title to all or any part of the tribal property, real and personal, or to transfer to one or more trustees designated by the tribe and approved by the Secretary, title to all or any part of such property to be held in trust for management or liquidation purposes under such terms and conditions as may be specified by the tribe and approved by the Secretary, or to sell all or any part of such property and make a pro rata distribution of the proceeds of sale among the members of the tribe after deducting, in his discretion, reasonable costs of sale and distribution.

(b) Property not transferred in accordance with recognized procedure; election to retain property

Title to any tribal property that is not transferred in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be transferred by the Secretary to one or more trustees designated by him for the liquidation and distribution of assets among the members of the tribe under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe: Provided, That the trust agreement shall provide for the termination of the trust not more than three years from the date of such transfer unless the term of the trust is extended by order of a judge of a court of record designated in the trust agreement: Provided further, That the trust agreement shall provide that at any time before the sale of tribal property by the trustees the tribe may notify the trustees that it elects to retain such property and to transfer title thereto to a corporation, other legal entity, or trustee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and that the trustees shall transfer title to such property in accordance with the notice from the tribe if it is approved by the Secretary.

(c) Compensation of agents or attorneys

The Secretary shall not approve any form of organization pursuant to subsection (a) of this section that provides for the transfer of stock or an undivided share in corporate assets as compensation for the services of agents or attorneys unless such transfer is based upon an appraisal of tribal assets that is satisfactory to the Secretary.

(d) Selection of trustees; approval by Secretary

When approving or disapproving the selection of trustees in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and when designating trustees pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall give due regard to the laws of the State of Oregon that relate to the selection of trustees.

(Aug. 13, 1954, ch. 733, §5, 68 Stat. 725.)

Sections:  Previous  688  689  690  691  692  693  694  695  696  697  698  699  700  701  702  Next

Last modified: October 26, 2015