United States v. Crow Dog

United States v. Crow Dog (1883) was a significant Supreme Court case concerning the jurisdiction of federal law over Native American tribes. Crow Dog, a Lakota Sioux, was tried in federal court for the murder of a tribe member on their reservation. The Court ruled that federal laws did not apply to crimes committed by one Native American against another within a reservation, as tribes were seen as sovereign nations. This decision reinforced tribal sovereignty but led to legal gaps in justice on reservations, prompting later legislation to address issues of federal jurisdiction over crimes in Native American territories.