Description:
A survey of Native American tribal law and its place within the framework of the U.S. Constitution from colonial times to today's headlines.
Using five major court cases, Native American Sovereignty on Trial examines American Indian tribal governments and how they relate to federal and state governments under the U.S. Constitution. From the foundational U.S. Supreme Court opinions of the 1830s, to the California State Gaming Propositions of 1998 and 2000, the impact and legacy of these court cases are fully explored. The actual text of key treaties, court decisions, and other legal documents pertaining to the five tribal controversies are featured and analyzed. Clearly presented, this in depth review of essential legal issues makes even the most difficult and complex judicial doctrines easy to understand by students and nonlawyers. This concise volume tracing the evolution of Native American sovereignty will supplement coursework in law, political science, U.S. history, and American Indian studies.Review Quotes:
"Recommended. General readers and college students of all levels." --Choice
"[W]ritten for Indian and non-Indian students who are interested in understanding Indian life and as a general reference for law students and lawyers . . . This work should be required reading in order to develop a basic understanding of the historical basis of Indian sovereignty and the legal issues that have in the past threatened and continue to threaten Indian nations." --American Reference Books Annual