The Cayuga Nation of New York and the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma say the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in the Oneida Nation case may help their land claim appeal.

The two tribes were awarded $247.9 million, including interest, for 64,000 acres of stolen land. They appealed, seeking $1.7 billion from the state of New York.

Now the tribes say they may be entitled to more money since the high court ruled that tribes may not "unilaterally" assert sovereignty on ancestral lands. The tribes filed a brief with the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, which held back a ruling on the Cayuga land claim while the Oneida Nation case was being decided.

Get the Story:
2 tribes say ruling backs their appeal (The Syracuse Post-Standard 4/12)

Get the Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation - http://www.oneida-nation.net
NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://doc.narf.org/sc/index.html

Decision in Oneida Indian Nation v. City of Sherrill:
Majority Opinion | Van Graafeiland Dissent

Decision in Cayuga Indian Nation v. Village of Union Springs:
Decision | Order (April 23, 2004)

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