Title: Supreme Court holds much of Oklahoma is Native American land
Headings: Supreme Court holds much of Oklahoma is Native American land
Supreme Court holds much of Oklahoma is Native American land
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Content: In his dissenting opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts argued that the reservation land was “disestablished.” “None of this is warranted,” Roberts wrote. “ What has gone unquestioned for a century remains true today: A huge portion of Oklahoma is not a Creek Indian reservation. Congress disestablished any reservation in a series of statutes leading up to Oklahoma statehood at the turn of the 19th century. The Court reaches the opposite conclusion only by disregarding the ‘well settled’ approach required by our precedents.” Roberts also argued that this decision could destabilize much of Oklahoma, writing “the State’s ability to prosecute serious crimes will be hobbled and decades of past convictions could well be thrown out.” Tribal leaders insist that the decision will be less destabilizing than critics have feared. They note that the ruling does not change land ownership in eastern Oklahoma. Creek Nation officials are working with state and federal officials to design a public safety and regulatory agreement between the separate governments to maintain the area.