Federal Court Rules In Favor Of Osage Nation Royalty Claims

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A federal court has ruled that the federal government failed to provide the Osage Nation with all of the money it was due for oil leases on tribal land.<br/><br/>The tribe made the

Friday, September 22nd 2006, 11:50 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A federal court has ruled that the federal government failed to provide the Osage Nation with all of the money it was due for oil leases on tribal land.

The tribe made the announcement at a news conference in Pawhuska Friday morning, filed Thursday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

The ruling could clear the way for the tribe to collect a major settlement.

"We're talking a considerable amount of money. It's huge," said Rex Hackler, a spokesman for the tribe.

The tribe, based in Pawhuska in northeast Oklahoma, is in the process of calculating how much money it is owned.