upholds

Land in eastern Oklahoma that the United States promised to the Creek Nation in an 1833 treaty is still a reservation under tribal sovereignty, at least when it comes to criminal law, the Supreme Court ruled on July 9. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority, “Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.” The eastern part of Oklahoma, about half of the state’s total land, was granted by Congress to Native American tribes in the 19th century, and is still under tribal sovereignty, the Supreme Court has ruled. Kmusser, based on 1890s data/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA To most Americans, it may seem obvious that a government should live up to its word. But the United States has regularly reneged on the promises that it made to American Indian nations in the ...

A federal appeals court is standing by a ruling that calls for the removal or destruction of a cross-shaped, 40-foot monument on public land that has towered over a busy intersection for nearly 100 years. In a closely divided vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit refused to reconsider an earlier decision that found government funding for the 40-foot-tall memorial in suburban Prince George’s County, Maryland, to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. The 8-6 vote drew passionate dissents from several judges who said it puts other monuments on public grounds nationwide at risk. The case could end up before the Supreme Court, which has not provided clear guidance about displays of religion on government land. Supporters of the Peace Cross, who say it is a secular tr...

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Supreme Court upholds American Indian treaty promises, orders Oklahoma to follow federal law

Court upholds removal of cross-shaped monument on public land in Md.