Decisions [cases decided] by the Indian Claims Commission; index

Notes

Microfiche edition of books published by Clearwater Pub.

Index was edited by Norman A. Ross.

"The Indian Claims Commission was created on August 13, 1946. Its purpose was to serve as a tribunal for the hearing and determination of claims against the United States arising prior to August 13, 1946 by any Indian tribe, band or their identifiable group of Indians living in the United States. In this it exercises jurisdiction formerly resting with the United States Court of Claims under the previous system of passing special jurisdictional acts by Congress for individual tribes. The Court of Claims has jurisdiction over claims arising after August 13, 1946"--Foreword.

"Under the terms of the original Indian Claims Commission Act there were three Commissioners and a period of ten years in which to complete the work. It became obvious however, from the size and complexity of the cases, that ten years was insufficient. The Commission was extended for five-year periods in 1957 and 1962, and in 1967 it was extended a third time and enlarged to five members. Subsequently the staff was increased in size to accommodate the increased workload. The Commission was extended to April 10, 1977 and on that date the remaining cases were transferred to the United States Court of Claims"--Foreword.

For additional background information relating to the Indian Claims Commission and it's duties see entry in the Author/Title catalog: United States. Indian Claims Commission. Records, ca. 1786-1868.

The index covers the claims and decisions of the Indian Claims Commission as heard by the Commission over a period of 25 years and includes all claims and all decisions through August 17, 1973.

The index is composed of three separate indexes: Tribal index, Docket index and Table of cases. The TRIBAL INDEX is a comprehensive guide to all of the dockets of the Commission. The tribes are listed in alphabetical order next to a group of docket numbers that list only those dockets in the Commission's records that deal with that particular tribe. The DOCKET INDEX contains a numerical listing in docket number order of all dockets. After the docket number is located, only the name of the plaintiff in the case is given. The TABLE OF CASES provides the reader with the chronology of each claim as it was heard by the Commission. The left-hand column on each page lists the claimants in alphabetical order and includes appropriate cross-references. It also indicates the docket number assigned to each claim. The middle columns give the volume number and page number of each decision. References are to decisions of the Commission, unless otherwise noted. The right-hand columns outline the nature of each decision and give the date. The date is particularly important in the case of unnumbered decisions which can be located chronologically.

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