Supreme Court rules that large swath of Oklahoma belongs to Indian reservation
By Harper Neidig - 07/09/20 10:46 AM EDT
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a large swath of Oklahoma belongs to Native American tribes in a huge win for a reservation that challenged the state's authority to prosecute crimes on its land.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for a 5-4 majority, ruling that disputed area that covers roughly half of the state actually belongs to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
"Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law," Gorsuch wrote. "Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word."
The ruling could upend the state's authority over much of the land and restrict it from prosecuting tribal members who commit crimes on the reservation.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/506548-supreme-court-rules-that-large-swath-of-oklahoma-belongs-to-indian
