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United States First Circuit


Thomas v. State of Rhode Island, 071985

In a suit brought by members of an Indian tribe claiming that state officials violated their constitutional rights by arresting them without lawful authority on tribal lands for alleged cigarette tax violations, dismissal of action for failure to state a claim is affirmed over claims of error that: 1) the court construed their allegations too narrowly, thereby ignoring a viable Fourth Amendment claim based on the lack of probable cause for arrest; and 2) the court wrongly denied their request to amend the complaint, thereby denying them the opportunity to remedy any tax deficiencies.

Appellate Information

  • Decided 09/24/2008
  • Published 09/24/2008

Judges

Court

  • United States First Circuit

Counsel

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