2/05/2026

LAC DU FLAMBEAU - A federal appeals court dismissed a Department of Justice appeal that upheld U.S. District Judge William Conley’s August 2025 ruling granting Lac du Flambeau-area homeowners an “implied easement” to use four roads on tribal lands.

The dispute began in 2023 when the tribe barricaded the roads over expired easements. A temporary agreement required the town to pay nearly $600,000 in monthly permit fees until October 2024. Despite the tribe reopening the roads, the DOJ sued the town for trespassing, leading to Conley’s decision. The court granted the DOJ’s motion to dismiss its own appeal after canceled mediation.