Legal Document

522 U.S. 520118 S.Ct. 948140 L.Ed.2d 30 ALASKA, Petitioner,v.NATIVE VILLAGE OF VENETIE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT et al. No. 96-1577. Supreme Court of the United States Argued Dec. 10, 1997. Decided Feb. 25, 1998. Syllabus * In 1943, Secretary Interior created a reservation for Neets'aii Gwich'in Indians on approximately 1.8 million acres surrounding Venetie and another tribal village in Alaska. 1971, Congress enacted Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), which, inter alia, revoked Reservation all but one other reserves set aside use by legislative or executive action, 43 U.S.C. §1618(a); completely extinguished aboriginal claims to land, §1603; authorized transfer $962.5 federal funds 44 land state-chartered private business corporations be formed Natives, §§1605, 1607, 1613. Such received fee simple title transferred no restrictions applied subsequent transfers them. §1613. 1973, two established elected make an ANCSA provision allowing them take former lands return forgoing statute's monetary payments nonreservation land. See §1618(b). The conveyed constituting as tenants common; thereafter, they respondent Village Tribal Government (the Tribe). 1986, entered into joint venture with contractor construct public school Venetie. After State refused Tribe's demand $161,000 taxes conducting Tribe sought collect court. State's suit enjoin collection tax, Federal District held that, because were not "Indian country'' within meaning 18 §1151(b), lacked power impose tax upon nonmembers Tribe. Ninth Circuit disagreed reversed. Held: is country.'' Pp. ___-___. (a) As here relevant, means "all dependent Indian communities . .'' §1151(b). " [D]ependent communities'' refers limited category that are neither reservations nor allotments categories country forth §1151), satisfy requirements-first, must have been land; second, under superintendence. v. Sandoval, 231 28, 46, 34 1, 5-6, 58 L.Ed. 107 (1913), Pelican, 232 442, 449, 396, 399, 676 (1914), McGowan, 302 535, 538-539, 286, 287-88, 82 410 (1938). Those cases these requirements necessary finding generally before §1151 was enacted, codified enacting §1151. Section 1151 does purport alter cases' definition country. 1151(b)'s text, moreover, taken virtually verbatim from supra, at S.Ct., which language later quoted 538, 287. history states §1151(b)'s based those cases, reflected text: set-aside requirement ensures question occupied community''; superintendence guarantees community sufficiently "dependent'' involved, rather than States, exercise primary jurisdiction over (b) do either requirements. met ANCSA, far designating Alaskan use, existing "set legislation Executive Secretarial Order '' save one. §1618(a) (emphasis added). could more clearly departed its traditional practice setting lands. Cf. Hagen Utah, 510 401, 114 958, 960, 127 252 (1994). difficulty argument apart Gwich'in, "as such,'' their acquisition pursuant §1618(b) private, corporations, without any restraints alienation significant restrictions, goal avoiding "any permanent racially defined institutions, rights, privileges, obligations,'' §1601(b); see also §§1607, Thus, contemplated non-Natives own Reservation, free it non-Indian purposes. Equally clearly, ended revoking one, §1618(a), stating ANCSA's settlement provisions intended avoid "lengthy wardship trusteeship,'' §1601(b). Although exempts long has sold, leased, developed, adverse possession claims, real property taxes, certain judgments, §1636(d), protections simply approach level active control stewardship existed this Court's prior cases. See, e.g., 537-539, 287-288. Moreover, Congress' conveyance state-regulated hardly choice comports desire retain contention such demonstrated Government's continuing health, social, welfare, economic programs unpersuasive merely forms general aid, indicia control. severely undercut view purposes, namely, effect self-determination end paternalism relations. broad cuts against objectives, ignore Whether concept should modified entirely Congress. 101 F.3d 1286, THOMAS, J., delivered opinion unanimous Court. John G. Roberts, Jr., Washington, DC, Petitioner. Heather R. Kendall, Anchorage, AK, Respondents. Justice THOMAS 1 case, we decide whether northern Alaska, owned Act, §1601 seq., We conclude not, therefore reverse judgment below. 2 Venetie, located above Arctic Circle, home Indians. out nearby village, Village. App. Pet. Cert. 2a. This about size Delaware, remained until when comprehensive statute designed settle Natives. 85 Stat. 688, amended, seq. 3 sort supervision affairs had previously marked policy. text accomplished 4 "without litigation, maximum participation Natives decisions affecting rights property, establishing obligations, [and] creating system lengthy trusteeship. §1601(b) 5 To end, "the various use'' except Annette Island Reserve inhabited Metlakatla Indians, §§1603, 1618(a). return, statute; shareholders required simple, 6 Pursuant 7 agreement construction financed state funds. December notified owed activities When both State, party responsible paying pay, attempted court district, contractor. 8 then filed tax. moved dismiss complaint, denied motion. It provides includes "dependent borders States''; result, Trib[e][did] non-members tribe plaintiffs.'' ex rel. Yukon Flats School Dist. Government, F87-0051CV(HRH), 1995 WL 462232 (D.Alaska, Aug. 2, 1995), 79a. 9 Appeals 1286 (1996). six-factor balancing test used interpret term id., 1292-1293, summarized follows: 10 [A] requires showing These construed broadly informed particular case consideration following factors: 11 (1) nature area; (2) relationship area inhabitants tribes government; (3) government agencies toward (4) degree ownership (5) cohesiveness inhabitants; (6) extent occupancy, protection peoples.'' Id., 1294. 12 Applying test, concluded "federal aside'' superintendence'' 1300-1302. 13 Judge Fernandez wrote separately. his view, departure policy: "It preserve tribes, simultaneously sever leave sovereign entities some sovereigns territorial reach.'' 1303. Noting majority's holding called status he [w]ere writing clean slate, I would eschew tribe's request kind chaos 92nd wisely avoid.'' 1304. He nonetheless precedent him concur result. Ibid. granted certiorari determine correctly determined 521 ----, 117 2478, 138 2987 (1997). II 14 currently relevant part, provides: 15 [T]he country' limits , original subsequently acquired territory thereof, state, (c) allotments, titles extinguished, including rights-of-way running through same.'' 16 terms relates only criminal jurisdiction, recognized applies questions civil issue here. DeCoteau County Tenth Judicial Dist., 420 425, 427, n. 95 1082, 1084, 300 (1975).1 17 Because issue, depends falls prong statute, §1151(b).2 Since 1948, occasion communities.'' now hold Our our conclusion §1151, requirements, generally. Before three (1913); (1914); (1938).3 first posed constitutionally proscribe introduction "intoxicating liquor'' Pueblo U.S., 36, 2. rejected extend because, unlike living reservations, Pueblos simple. 48, 6-7. indicated Pueblos' commonly understood sense term. ancestral orders reserved additional "for [Pueblos'] occupancy.'' 39, 3. addition, respect "in guardianship th[e] [Indian] affairs,'' 6, lands' alienation.4 lands, borders, acquired, State.'' 5. 19 allotments-parcels diminished trust benefit individual Indians-were 399. stated "simply validly such, Government. reservation's diminishment, continued country, governmental care; unable find ground became distribution separate holdings, retaining control.'' 20 Reno Colony Reno, Nevada even though reservation. 539, 288. reasoned like generally, ""validly Government.''' (quoting 399) deleted). noted purchasing "funds appropriated Congress'' Colony's residing there. 537, 4, 287, 4. emphasized possessed authority enact "regulations protective laws respecting [Colony's] territory,'' 288, exercised permitting live For reasons, requiring forfeiture automobiles carrying "intoxicants'' Colony; law example extended States. 287-88 5-6) 21 each therefore, relied concluding constituted permissible lists different mentioned cases: Donnelly 228 243, 269, 33 458, 57 820 communities, 287-288; 5-6; entire just communities,'' McGowan. Historical Revision Notes §1151's "on [the] latest McGowan Sandoval. (See U.S.) included Pelican. 1948 p. 276 (citations omitted). 22 satisfied community''-just enacted.5 §1151(b): community'';6 question.7 B 23 enactment "validly 24 With requirement, indeed clearer fashion (1994) (holding diminishing opening non-Indians, lands). 25 argues-and majority agreed, F.3d., 1301-1302-that transfers. Brief Respondents 40-41 (citing §1618(b)). obligations.'' By very design, can immediately convey non-Natives, restricted using met. 287 (noting Indians); 447, 398 question). 26 above, along every explicitly trusteeship.'' essentially statutory declaration exempt judgments developed. §1636(d). protections, if Indians' actively controlled question, effectively acting guardian 287-288 (emphasizing retained protect there); (stating "under relating Indians''); 37, placing ""absolute States'''). Finally, worth noting 27 contends requisite present "desperately needed programs'' 28. found persuasive. F.3d, 1301. precedents, however, suggest mere needed'' social support education, welfare benefits aid; considered alone tandem minimal land-related sufficient 28 argument, "foster[ed] greater self-determination'' "renounc[ed] BIA [Bureau Affairs] paternalism''). 29 so ordered. syllabus constitutes part prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 321, 337, 282, 50 499. Generally speaking, rests inhabiting it, South Dakota Yankton Sioux Tribe, 118 789, ---- (1998). noted, reservation, Reserve, survived ANCSA. Other exists post-ANCSA meets communit[y]'' interpretation "allotments'' §1151(c). held, surprisingly, (1913). One Rev.Stat. §2116, §177, rendered invalid made treaty convention Constitution, applicable Pueblos. Candelaria, 271 432, 441-442, 46 561, 562-563, 70 1023 (1926). attempting defend Appeals' judgment, asks us adopt conception Borrowing Chief Marshall's seminal opinions Cherokee Nation Georgia, (1831), Worcester 31 515, 483 (1832), argues political dependence, wherever federally tribe. Federally contends, domestic nations,'' 17, thus ipso facto 23-24. ignores indicate action (1938) ("The retains permits occupy''); (1914) "ultimate control'' reflects fact plenary affairs, Const., Art. I, §8, cl. 3, explicit (or Executive, delegated authority) create recognize reached §1151(b) imposes differently, resort "textured'' test. 1293 (C.A.9 1996). Three factors, extremely removed themselves: area''; government''; inhabitants.'' 1300-1301. majority, accorded factors same weight other, ones: area,'' "factors'' another, reduced considerations.

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