October Term 2015 · Docket 14-1406
Did an 1882 law shrink the Omaha Reservation?
Nebraska claims the 1882 law removed land from the Omaha Reservation. The Tribe argues the land remains part of the reservation.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Nebraska argues the 1882 act diminished the reservation.
The Tribe argues the reservation status remains intact.
Justice Scalia questioned the reliance on de facto diminishment.
Justice Kagan questioned the weight of subsequent history.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 6-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 6-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 32-4 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 32-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 42-48 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 42-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 20-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-34
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The dispute centers on whether an 1882 congressional act diminished the Omaha Reservation. Nebraska argues the law redrew the boundaries. The Tribe argues the reservation status persists.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 20, 2016.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
What each side wants
Nebraska wants the Court to find the 1882 act diminished the reservation.
The Tribe wants the Court to find the reservation boundaries remain unchanged.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
What each side says
Nebraska argues the 1882 act explicitly redrew the reservation boundaries.
The Tribe argues the reservation status persists until Congress explicitly changes it.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked if the argument relies on de facto diminishment.
Justice Kagan asked about the relevance of subsequent history to the claim.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 6-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 6-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 32-4 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 32-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 42-48 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 42-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 20-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-34
Why it matters
The outcome determines whether Nebraska governs the disputed land. It defines the geographic scope of tribal jurisdiction. It clarifies how courts interpret congressional intent regarding reservations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 6-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 6-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 32-4 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 32-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 42-48 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 42-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 20-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-34
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 21, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 22-24
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.