Courses

College of Law

Indian Law

Course Number: 6700
Professor: TBA
Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3
Semester Offered: Varies
Required: No
Prerequisites: None
Recommended Courses: None

Course Overview: This course provides an overview of federal Indian law—the judicial decisions, federal statutes, treaties, and executive policies that govern Indian rights, tribal powers, and the  relationships among the three sovereigns in our polity. Principal topics include the historical development of Indian policy; sources of and limits on tribal powers; the respective jurisdiction of tribes, the federal government, and states; the federal trust doctrine; and Indian property rights.  Depending on interest, enrollment, and funds, the class might take a field trip, e.g., to the Wind River Indian Reservation or to the Native American Rights Fund headquarters in Boulder, CO.

Course Materials: See the current Book List located under Scheduling.
Course Format: Lecture and discussion.
Written Assignments: None
Type of Exam: Final exam (multiple-choice, short-answer questions)
Basis for Grading Student Performance: Student performance will be assessed on the final exam and class participation.
Other Comments: In my view, Indian Law is the most difficult field of law to learn on one’s own.  A semester-long exploration of the history of the development of Indian law and policy, with plenty of opportunities for discussion, is useful for understanding the material and for practicing in this field.