North Dakota Secures $27.8 Million Settlement Over DAPL Protest Costs

Represented by the law firm Greenberg Traurig, North Dakota brought suit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, alleging that federal authorities failed to manage large-scale demonstrations on federal lands. The resulting unrest caused widespread violence and significant infrastructure destruction. U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled in favor of the state in April 2025, awarding the full requested amount. With an additional $10 million previously provided by the government, the state’s total recovery reaches $37.8 million.

Paul M. Seby, the Denver-based shareholder who spearheaded the eight-year litigation, described the outcome as a necessary step to make the state whole after it carried an unjust financial burden. The legal team, spanning offices in Denver, Houston, and Washington, D.C., successfully navigated the complex negligence and civil trespass claims to secure the final verdict amount.