Class Action Blog

Summary: Timothy LaBatte, a Native American farmer, was part of a group of Native American farmers who sued the Secretary of Agriculture alleging that the Department had discriminated against them in the administration of farm loans and similar benefit programs which violated the Credit Opportunity Act. They alleged that white farmers were provided benefits that were denied to Native American farmers. The government chose to settle the class action case and created a $680,000,000 fund to pay the Keepseagle settlement claims. The settlement agreement established a two pronged claims process.