In Federal Indian Law you will learn about the legal relationship between American Indian nations and the United States, including implications for states and individual citizens. American Indian tribes have a legal status that is unique, both within our legal system and the rest of the world. The U.S. Supreme Court has confirmed the status of tribes as semi-independent sovereign nations with rights to self-governance, yet it has also acquiesced in the unilateral Congressional abrogation of various aspects of that sovereign status. This class examines the historical basis of modern Federal Indian Law through its foundation and historical development, before shifting to Federal powers and obligations and tribal rights and functions. This class will contain a component related to mineral development on Indian lands. Time permitting, water rights, criminal jurisdiction, and Indian gaming will also be considered.
Kulander, Christopher