Claire Blumenthal

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“We Hold the Government to Its Word”: How McGirt v. Oklahoma Revives Aboriginal Title

McGirt’s insistence on unambiguous proof of Congress’s intent created an opening for aboriginal-title suits against the United States. By enforcing the congressional-intent requirement, McGirt cleared the sovereign immunity and preclusion bars that have stymied such suits. An overlooked Tenth Circuit decision unknowingly demonstrated how courts can implement McGirt.