Last Thursday, in a Cornwall Court, Justice Stanley Kershman sided with Beverly Pyke allowing her to resume her statement of claim for her property against the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.

Pyke alleges she was denied a chance to relocate on Cornwall Island although she paid about $120,000 for a property in March 2009. The initial statement of claim was made in 2011.

According to the Cornwall Standard Freeholder, “Previous continuation of the case was hampered by amendments to claim, staffing problems encountered by Pyke’s former legal counsel and miscommunication between court administration, Pyke’s current lawyer, Kevin Butler, and MCA legal representative, Patrick Thompson.”

Kershman also ruled that MCA pay $5,000 of Pyke’s latest legal expenses, according to the Standard Freeholder, but she still has to pay $15,000 for previous hearings.

A renewed statement of claim will be presented to Thompson within 13 days. MCA will have 30 days to make a statement of defense. Trial is set to begin in March 2015.