Federal Indian Law

Among other things, the success of Indian gaming and the controversy surrounding the adoption of Indian children have brought new attention to the unique status of Indians and Indian tribes in the American legal system.

This course examines the tension between tribal sovereignty and the traditional legal and political notions underlying the American federal system.

The course focuses on the historical legacy of federal Indian policy from removal to self-determination; the conflict between states' rights and tribal sovereignty; and civil and criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country.