For purposes of this subchapter, the term—
(1) “Indian tribe” means any tribe, band, or other group of Indians subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and recognized as possessing powers of self-government;
(2) “powers of self-government” means and includes all governmental powers possessed by an Indian tribe, executive, legislative, and judicial, and all offices, bodies, and tribunals by and through which they are executed, including courts of Indian offenses; and means the inherent power of Indian tribes, hereby recognized and affirmed, to exercise criminal jurisdiction over all Indians;
(3) “Indian court” means any Indian tribal court or court of Indian offense; and
(4) “Indian” means any person who would be subject to the jurisdiction of the United States as an Indian under section 1153, title 18, if that person were to commit an offense listed in that section in Indian country to which that section applies.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title II, §201, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 77; Pub. L. 101–511, title VIII, §8077(b), (c), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1892.)
1990—Par. (2). Pub. L. 101–511, §8077(b), inserted at end “means the inherent power of Indian tribes, hereby recognized and affirmed, to exercise criminal jurisdiction over all Indians;”.
Par. (4). Pub. L. 101–511, §8077(c), added par. (4).
Title II of Pub. L. 90–284, which is classified generally to this subchapter, is popularly known as the “Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968”.
Section 8077(d) of Pub. L. 101–511, as amended by Pub. L. 102–124, §1, Oct. 9, 1991, 105 Stat. 616, which provided that the effects of subsecs. (b) and (c), which amended this section, as those subsections affect the criminal misdemeanor jurisdiction of tribal courts over non-member Indians have no effect after Oct. 18, 1991, was repealed by Pub. L. 102–137, Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 646. Subsequent to repeal, Pub. L. 102–172, title VIII, §8112A(b), Nov. 26, 1991, 105 Stat. 1202, purported to amend section 8077(d) of Pub. L. 101–511 by substituting “1993” for “1991”.
No Indian tribe in exercising powers of self-government shall—
(1) make or enforce any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition for a redress of grievances;
(2) violate the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable search and seizures, nor issue warrants, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the person or thing to be seized;
(3) subject any person for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy;
(4) compel any person in any criminal case to be a witness against himself;
(5) take any private property for a public use without just compensation;
(6) deny to any person in a criminal proceeding the right to a speedy and public trial, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, to be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and at his own expense to have the assistance of counsel for his defense;
(7) require excessive bail, impose excessive fines, inflict cruel and unusual punishments, and in no event impose for conviction of any one offense any penalty or punishment greater than imprisonment for a term of one year and 1 a fine of $5,000, or both;
(8) deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of its laws or deprive any person of liberty or property without due process of law;
(9) pass any bill of attainder or ex post facto law; or
(10) deny to any person accused of an offense punishable by imprisonment the right, upon request, to a trial by jury of not less than six persons.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title II, §202, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 77; Pub. L. 99–570, title IV, §4217, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–146.)
1986—Par. (7). Pub. L. 99–570, which directed that “for a term of one year and a fine of $5,000, or both” be substituted for “for a term of six months and a fine of $500, or both”, was executed by making the substitution for “for a term of six months or a fine of $500, or both” as the probable intent of Congress.
Section 4217 of Pub. L. 99–570 provided in part that amendment of par. (7) of this section was to “enhance the ability of tribal governments to prevent and penalize the traffic of illegal narcotics on Indian reservations”.
1 So in original. Probably should be “or”.
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall be available to any person, in a court of the United States, to test the legality of his detention by order of an Indian tribe.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title II, §203, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 78.)
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to recommend to the Congress, on or before July 1, 1968, a model code to govern the administration of justice by courts of Indian offenses on Indian reservations. Such code shall include provisions which will (1) assure that any individual being tried for an offense by a court of Indian offenses shall have the same rights, privileges, and immunities under the United States Constitution as would be guaranteed any citizen of the United States being tried in a Federal court for any similar offense, (2) assure that any individual being tried for an offense by a court of Indian offenses will be advised and made aware of his rights under the United States Constitution, and under any tribal constitution applicable to such individual, (3) establish proper qualifications for the office of judge of the court of Indian offenses, and (4) provide for the establishing of educational classes for the training of judges of courts of Indian offenses. In carrying out the provisions of this subchapter, the Secretary of the Interior shall consult with the Indians, Indian tribes, and interested agencies of the United States.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title III, §301, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 78.)
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sum as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title III, §302, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 78.)
The consent of the United States is hereby given to any State not having jurisdiction over criminal offenses committed by or against Indians in the areas of Indian country situated within such State to assume, with the consent of the Indian tribe occupying the particular Indian country or part thereof which could be affected by such assumption, such measure of jurisdiction over any or all of such offenses committed within such Indian country or any part thereof as may be determined by such State to the same extent that such State has jurisdiction over any such offense committed elsewhere within the State, and the criminal laws of such State shall have the same force and effect within such Indian country or part thereof as they have elsewhere within that State.
Nothing in this section shall authorize the alienation, encumbrance, or taxation of any real or personal property, including water rights, belonging to any Indian or any Indian tribe, band, or community that is held in trust by the United States or is subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States; or shall authorize regulation of the use of such property in a manner inconsistent with any Federal treaty, agreement, or statute or with any regulation made pursuant thereto; or shall deprive any Indian or any Indian tribe, band, or community of any right, privilege, or immunity afforded under Federal treaty, agreement, or statute with respect to hunting, trapping, or fishing or the control, licensing, or regulation thereof.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title IV, §401, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 78.)
The consent of the United States is hereby given to any State not having jurisdiction over civil causes of action between Indians or to which Indians are parties which arise in the areas of Indian country situated within such State to assume, with the consent of the tribe occupying the particular Indian country or part thereof which would be affected by such assumption, such measure of jurisdiction over any or all such civil causes of action arising within such Indian country or any part thereof as may be determined by such State to the same extent that such State has jurisdiction over other civil causes of action, and those civil laws of such State that are of general application to private persons or private property shall have the same force and effect within such Indian country or part thereof as they have elsewhere within that State.
Nothing in this section shall authorize the alienation, encumbrance, or taxation of any real or personal property, including water rights, belonging to any Indian or any Indian tribe, band, or community that is held in trust by the United States or is subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States; or shall authorize regulation of the use of such property in a manner inconsistent with any Federal treaty, agreement, or statute, or with any regulation made pursuant thereto; or shall confer jurisdiction upon the State to adjudicate, in probate proceedings or otherwise, the ownership or right to possession of such property or any interest therein.
Any tribal ordinance or custom heretofore or hereafter adopted by an Indian tribe, band, or community in the exercise of any authority which it may possess shall, if not inconsistent with any applicable civil law of the State, be given full force and effect in the determination of civil causes of action pursuant to this section.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title IV, §402, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 79.)
The United States is authorized to accept a retrocession by any State of all or any measure of the criminal or civil jurisdiction, or both, acquired by such State pursuant to the provisions of section 1162 of title 18, section 1360 of title 28, or section 7 of the Act of August 15, 1953 (67 Stat. 588), as it was in effect prior to its repeal by subsection (b) of this section.
Section 7 of the Act of August 15, 1953 (67 Stat. 588), is hereby repealed, but such repeal shall not affect any cession of jurisdiction made pursuant to such section prior to its repeal.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title IV, §403, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 79.)
Section 7 of the Act of August 15, 1953, referred to in text, is section 7 of act Aug. 15, 1953, ch. 505, 67 Stat. 588, which is set out as a note under section 1360 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Ex. Ord. No. 11435, Nov. 21, 1968, 33 F.R. 17339, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 465 of the Revised Statutes (25 U.S.C. 9) and as President of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior is hereby designated and empowered to exercise, without the approval, ratification, or other action of the President or of any other officer of the United States, any and all authority conferred upon the United States by Section 403(a) of the Act of April 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 79 (25 U.S.C. 1323(a)): Provided, That acceptance of retrocession of all or any measure of civil or criminal jurisdiction, or both, by the Secretary hereunder shall be effected by publication in the
Lyndon B. Johnson.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any enabling Act for the admission of a State, the consent of the United States is hereby given to the people of any State to amend, where necessary, their State constitution or existing statutes, as the case may be, to remove any legal impediment to the assumption of civil or criminal jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter. The provisions of this subchapter shall not become effective with respect to such assumption of jurisdiction by any such State until the people thereof have appropriately amended their State constitution or statutes, as the case may be.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title IV, §404, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 79.)
No action or proceeding pending before any court or agency of the United States immediately prior to any cession of jurisdiction by the United States pursuant to this subchapter shall abate by reason of that cession. For the purposes of any such action or proceeding, such cession shall take effect on the day following the date of final determination of such action or proceeding.
No cession made by the United States under this subchapter shall deprive any court of the United States of jurisdiction to hear, determine, render judgment, or impose sentence in any criminal action instituted against any person for any offense committed before the effective date of such cession, if the offense charged in such action was cognizable under any law of the United States at the time of the commission of such offense. For the purposes of any such criminal action, such cession shall take effect on the day following the date of final determination of such action.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title IV, §405, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 80.)
State jurisdiction acquired pursuant to this subchapter with respect to criminal offenses or civil causes of action, or with respect to both, shall be applicable in Indian country only where the enrolled Indians within the affected area of such Indian country accept such jurisdiction by a majority vote of the adult Indians voting at a special election held for that purpose. The Secretary of the Interior shall call such special election under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, when requested to do so by the tribal council or other governing body, or by 20 per centum of such enrolled adults.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title IV, §406, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 80.)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if any application made by an Indian, Indian tribe, Indian council, or any band or group of Indians under any law requiring the approval of the Secretary of the Interior or the Commissioner of Indian Affairs of contracts or agreements relating to the employment of legal counsel (including the choice of counsel and the fixing of fees) by any such Indians, tribe, council, band, or group is neither granted nor denied within ninety days following the making of such application, such approval shall be deemed to have been granted.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title VI, §601, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 80.)
In order that the constitutional rights of Indians might be fully protected, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to—
(1) have the document entitled “Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties” (Senate Document Numbered 319, volumes 1 and 2, Fifty-eighth Congress), revised and extended to include all treaties, laws, Executive orders, and regulations relating to Indian affairs in force on September 1, 1967, and to have such revised document printed at the Government Printing Office;
(2) have revised and republished the treatise entitled “Federal Indian Law”; and
(3) have prepared, to the extent determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be feasible, an accurate compilation of the official opinions, published and unpublished, of the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior relating to Indian affairs rendered by the Solicitor prior to September 1, 1967, and to have such compilation printed as a Government publication at the Government Printing Office.
With respect to the document entitled “Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties” as revised and extended in accordance with paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section, and the compilation prepared in accordance with paragraph (3) of such subsection, the Secretary of the Interior shall take such action as may be necessary to keep such document and compilation current on an annual basis.
There is authorized to be appropriated for carrying out the provisions of this subchapter such sum as may be necessary.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title VII, §701, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 80; Pub. L. 93–265, Apr. 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 84.)
1974—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–265 struck out “, with respect to the preparation but not including printing,” before “such sum”.