October Term 2018 · Docket 17-532
Can a state ban hunting on land a tribe reserved for that purpose?
Wyoming claims a treaty right to hunt expired. The hunter argues the tribe kept that right forever.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — 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
Mr. Hicks says the tribe reserved hunting rights in 1868.
Mr. Liu says the lower court decision should be overturned.
Mr. Knepper says this case matches a 25-year-old dispute.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 21-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 21-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests if a state can stop a person from hunting on land a tribe reserved for that purpose.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 8, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 29-31
What each side wants
The hunter wants to keep hunting on the ceded land.
Wyoming wants to ban hunting on that land.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
What each side says
The hunter argues the tribe reserved hunting rights forever.
Wyoming argues the tribe lost that right long ago.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asks if the state can argue on remand.
Justice Sotomayor asks when the tribe forfeited its rights.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 21-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 21-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
Why it matters
This dispute defines who controls hunting rights on vast public lands. It shapes the balance between state power and tribal sovereignty.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
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 27-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 21-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 21-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
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 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-27
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.