Court Ruling Challenges Traffic Ticket Jurisdiction in Indian Country
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Tulsa lacks jurisdiction to prosecute a Native American man for a traffic ticket because the city is located within the boundaries of an Indian reservation. The court's decision is based on the U.S. Supreme Court's 2020 ruling that much of eastern Oklahoma, including Tulsa, remains an Indian reservation. The ruling has been expanded to include other reservations in the state. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt criticized the decision, but experts suggest that Tulsa could enter into prosecution agreements with tribal nations to resolve the issue.