Supreme Court declines to accept Oneida Nation land claim

Monday, October 17, 2011  

The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear the long-running Oneida Nation land claim.

In an order list released this morning, the justices announced their decision to deny petitions in Oneida Nation v. Oneida County and US v. New York.

However, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is the newest member of the court, said they would have granted the petitions.

The development means the tribe can no longer pursue 250,000 acres that were illegally taken by the state of New York. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals killed the claim and essentially said the tribe waited too long to sue.

Sotomayor used to be a judge on the 2nd Circuit.

2nd Circuit Decision:
Oneida Nation v. Oneida County/Madison County (August 9, 2010)

Related Stories:
No action from Supreme Court on Oneida Nation's land claim (10/11)
Still nothing from Supreme Court on Oneida Nation land claim (10/3)
No word from Supreme Court on Oneida Nation land claim appeal (9/27)
Deadline approaching for Oneida Nation to appeal land claim (5/3)
Oneida Nation 'of course' plans to appeal decision on land claim (8/11)
Turtle Talk: Oneida Nation ruling kills Eastern tribal land claims (8/10)
New York counties celebrate ruling in Oneida Nation land claim (8/10)
2nd Circuit rules against Oneida Nation in long running land case (8/9)