Federal Indian Law
Professor Ann Laquer Estin

Fall 2006

Course Outline

Chapter 1: Introduction: Indians and Indian Law
August 22:
(skim casebook pp. 1-37)

Chapter 2: The European Doctrine of Discovery and American Indian Rights
August 23:
Johnson v. McIntosh (skim pp. 39-62, read pp. 62 -71)

Chapter 3: The Federal-Tribal Treaty Relationship
August 28:
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia; Worcester v. Georgia (skim pp. 72-93, read pp. 93-127)

Treaty Rights
August 30:
U.S. v. Washington; U.S. v. Winans; Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band (pp. 127-139; 880-888)

Chapter 4: A Century of Shifting Policy
Allotments and Assimilation
September 6:
Ex Parte Crow Dog; U.S. v. Kagama, U.S. v. Sandoval (pp. 140-165)

Plenary Power
September 11:
Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock (pp. 165-186; skim pp. 316-323)

Reorganization; Termination
September 13:
Menominee Tribe (pp. 186-216)

Self-Determination; Treaty Abrogation
September 18:
U.S. v. Dion (216-226; 323-340)

Constitutional Limits on Congressional Power
September 20:
Morton v. Mancari; Rice v. Cayetano (226-256)

Chapter 5: The Federal Tribal Relationship
Tribal Property Interests
September 25:
U.S. v. Shoshone Tribe; Sioux Tribe v. U.S.; Montana v. U.S.: Tee-Hit-Ton Indians v. U.S. (pp. 258-281)

Eastern Land Claims and Tribal Recognition
September 27:
County of Oneida v. Oneida Indian Nation (pp. 295-315)

October 2: no class

Federal-Tribal Trust Relationship
October 4:
Seminole Nation v. U.S.; U.S. v. Navajo Nation; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (pp. 340-65)

October 9:
U.S. v. Sioux Nation; Dann v. U.S. (pp. 365-376 and 281-295)

Chapter 6: Tribal Sovereignty
Tribal Governments as Independent Sovereigns
October 11:
Talton v. Mayes; U.S. v. Wheeler; Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez; Kiowa Tribe v. Manufacturing Technologies (pp. 377-413)

Tribal Justice Systems
October 16:
Williams v. Lee; Navajo Nation v. MacDonald; Marriage of Francisco (pp. 414-443)

Chapter 7: The Limits of Tribal Jurisdiction
Criminal Jurisdiction
October 18:
Solem v. Bartlett; U.S. v. Antelope (pp. 456-492)

Public Law 280
October 23:
Bryan v. Itasca County (pp. 492-508)

Judicially-Imposed Limitations on Tribal Jurisdiction
October 25:
Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe; U.S. v. Lara; Montana v. U.S. (pp. 509-541)

Chapter 8: Tribal and State Conflicts of Civil Regulatory and Adjudicatory Jurisdiction
Taxation and Regulation
October 30:
Merrion v, Jicarilla Apache Tribe; McClanahan v. Arizona Tax Comm'n;
Washington v. Confederated Tribes (pp. 542-579)

November 1:
White Mountain Apache v. Bracker; Montana v. Blackfeet Tribe (pp. 579-595)

Civil Adjudicatory Jurisdiction
November 6:
National Farmers Union Insurance Co.; Strate v. A-1 Contractors (pp. 607-627)

November 8:
Nevada v. Hicks; Joe v. Marcum (pp. 627-653)

Judicial Jurisdiction by Congressional Statute: The Indian Child Welfare Act
November 13:
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians v. Holyfield (pp. 653-678)

Chapter 9: Reservation Economic Development
November 15:
California v. Cabazon Band (pp. 722-737)

Chapter 10: Indian Religion and Culture
November 20:
Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Ass'n; Employment Division v. Smith (pp. 738-772)

Chapter 13: Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians
November 27:
Native Village of Venetie; John v. Baker (pp. 893-917)

November 29:
Rice v. Cayetano, Price v. State of Hawaii (pp. 917-946)

Final Exam: Monday December 11, 8:30 am.