American Indian Law

A Native American operated non-profit:
Dedicated to providing free publication resources, comprehensive training, and technical assistance for Native nations and tribal justice systems in pursuit of our vision to empower Native communities to create and control their own institutions for the benefit of all community members, now, and for future generations.

Indian Law Bulletins are a current awareness service of the National Indian Law Library. The purpose of the Indian Law Bulletins is to provide succinct and timely information about new developments in Indian Law. See the "about" page for each bulletin for specific information on monitoring, content selection criteria, and timeliness of publication.

The National Indian Law Library provides a large number of law materials organized by tribe.

Available at Chastek 3rd Floor Stacks KF8206.I5

Available at Chastek 3rd Floor Staks KF8205.L36 2002

Description:

Landmark Indian Law Cases focuses on a core set of Indian law cases from the U.S. Supreme Court that provide the legal framework for fundamental Indian law topics. Spanning nearly two centuries, U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence is expansive, and it is helpful for both those working in the field and those interested in learning about it to have a book that narrows down the landmark cases and explains their importance.

The first edition of this publication (1988), titled Top Fifty Indian Law Cases, was created as a resource to collate the Supreme Court’s significant federal Indian law decisions. It was revised in 1990, and then again in May 2000 reflecting another decade of important decisions. The 2000 edition included new pronouncements on tribal hunting and fishing rights, Alaska Native sovereignty, tribal sovereign immunity from suit, and tribal court jurisdiction.

Likewise, this latest edition includes several changes and improvements. First, this edition adds five cases that were either decided or gained elevated significance in the twenty years since the last edition. Five cases whose prominence have waned are no longer included in this edition. Finally, for each case a summary has been added to explain why it is a landmark Indian law case and the key holding(s) of the decision. Westlaw Headnotes are included with the opinion in each case, while the Subject Index of Cases allows readers to immediately identify the landmark case in a specific area of federal Indian law. --Publishers Website

Available at Chastek 2nd Floor Reference Collection KF8205.L36 2022

Available at Chastek 3rd Floor Stacks KIK1067 .N38

Available at Chastek 3rd Floor Stacks KF8204.5 H65 1990

Description: This digest presents selected summaries of the most important & revealing Indian law cases, as well as a chronological history of U.S. Indian policy since Columbus landed in the Americas.

Available at Chastek 3rd Floor Stacks KF8204.C55 1991

Available at Chastek 3rd Floor Stacks KF8205.A2 I535 2011

This book covers the often complex and unfamiliar doctrine of federal Indian law, exposing the raw conflicts over sovereignty and property that have shaped legal rulings. Fifteen distinguished authors describe gripping cases involving Indian nations over more than two centuries, each story emphasizing initiative in tribal communities and lawyering strategies that have determined the fate of nations.

"Drawing from forty-five years of experience, E. Richard Hart elucidates the use of history as expert testimony in American Indian tribal litigation. Such lawsuits deal with aboriginal territory; hunting, fishing, and plant gathering rights; reservation boundaries; water rights; federal recognition; and other questions that have a historical basis. The methodology necessary to assemble successful expert testimony for tribes is complex and demanding and the legal cases have serious implications for many thousands of people, perhaps for generations. Hart, a historian who has testified in cases that have resulted in roughly a billion dollars in judgments, uses specific cases to explain at length what kind of historical research and documentation is necessary for tribes seeking to protect and claim their rights under United States law. He demonstrates the legal questions that Native Americans face by exploring the cultural history and legal struggles of six Indian nations. He recounts how these were addressed by expert testimony, grounded in thorough historical understanding, research, and argumentation. The case studies focus on the Wenatchi, Coeur d'Alene, Hualapai, Amah Mutsun, Klamath, and Zuni peoples but address issues relevant to many American tribes"-- Provided by publisher.