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MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2003

The Miccosukee Tribe of Florida should not enjoy exclusive sovereignty of their lands, The St. Petersburg Times says in an editorial today.

The tribe is subject to state civil and criminal jurisdiction, concurrent with tribal jurisdiction. A bill in the state Legislature would rescind the state's authority, putting the tribe on par with almost every tribe in the nation.

But if that happens, the paper worries about the impact of non-Indians, who visit Miccosukee land to "drink and gamble." "On occasion, the Miccosukees have used their legal prerogatives to avoid subpoenas for tribal members," the paper says. "The tribe has also been known to assert sovereign immunity as a way to defeat civil lawsuits. It is not out of bounds to think that once the state no longer has law enforcement authority over the reservation, non-Indians may find it more difficult to seek justice there."

Get the Story:
Editorial: The law of the land (The St. Petersburg Times 3/31)

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