Column: Gambling on a sovereign Indian nation

Friday, December 1, 2006  

"It just shouldn't be news to anyone that going to one of our Indian casinos is "like" visiting a foreign land.

Here, casinos are another country. Despite what the cranks say, there's no argument, unless Congress decides to change more than 100 years of accepted Indian law.

Crash the minivan in the parking garage at Mohegan Sun or slip and fall on the Foxwoods gambling floor and your fate lies within the tribal court, not our Superior Courts. The tribal courts have judges and lawyers who can represent you. Good luck.

Federally recognized Indian tribes have "sovereign immunity" - you can't sue them. This isn't some modern doctrine: It evolved from a long legal history based on the fact that Indian nations predate our own."

Get the Story:
Rick Green: On Indian Land, It's Tribal Law (The Hartford Courant 12/1)