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Indigenous, Indian, and Aboriginal Law
University of Michigan Law School
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Textualism And The Indian Canons Of Statutory Construction, Alex Tallchief Skibine
Textualism And The Indian Canons Of Statutory Construction, Alex Tallchief Skibine
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
When interpreting statutes enacted for the benefit or regulation of Indians or construing treaties signed with Indian nations, courts are supposed to apply any of five specific canons of construction relating to Indian Affairs. Through examining the modern line of Supreme Court cases involving statutory or treaty interpretation relating to Indian nations, this Article demonstrates that the Court has generally been faithful in applying canons relating to treaty interpretation or abrogation. The Court has also respected the canon requiring unequivocal expression of congressional intent before finding an abrogation of tribal sovereign immunity. However, there are two other canons that the …