Supreme Court Rules Nearly Half of Oklahoma Is Indian Reservation Land
On July 9th 2020 the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to prosecute major crimes involving a Native American within the historical boundaries of the Creek Indian reservation in eastern Oklahoma because Congress failed to formally undo the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s 19th century reservation.
Therefore a large part of eastern Oklahoma, including much of Tulsa, falls within an Indian reservation.
The question before the high court involved a case brought by Jimcy McGirt, a member of the Seminole Nation , who argued that his case must be tried by the federal government because the crimes were committed on land historically allocated to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
Today’s ruling most likely is one of the most consequential legal victories for Native Americans in decades. It could have far-reaching implications for the almost two million people who live across what is now deemed Native American territory by the Supreme Court. Because under the law, crimes involving Native Americans on a reservation are under federal, not state, jurisdiction.
RRMA is admitted to practice in all federal district courts of Oklahoma.
The post Supreme Court Rules Nearly Half of Oklahoma Is Indian Reservation Land appeared first on Ritchie, Rock, McBride & Atwood Law Firm.
Share now
You can also find us here:
