Decision in Favor of Tribal Sovereignty Leaves Casino Worker Without Recourse for Injury

A worker at a tribal casino can’t sue her employer in state court over a denied workers' compensation claim, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled. The high court ruled that Gloria Mendoza cannot sue the Isleta Resort and Casino because of the tribe’s sovereign immunity, leaving her with no recourse for her injury through the state’s comp program. The Pueblo of Isleta didn't waive its sovereign immunity as part of the 2015 gaming compact it entered with the state allowing it to operate the casino, the Supreme Court said in its Jan. 16 decision. And the tribe never...