> interest in learning about jurisdictional issues with regard to
> environmental concerns in tribal lands, especially in Montana. This is
> too broad a topic for me to handle, I think, and I'm wondering what
> someone might suggest as a starting place. If there's another area
> (education for example) where jurisdiction might be better examined,
> great. I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on how I can start to understand
> this broad area, including suggestions for a better way to ask the
> question. Thanks.
Jurisdiction in this area is tricky, but is becoming a topic of much
discussion. For basic information about jurisdiction, the classic source
is still Felix Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law. Make sure you use
the most recent edition, which was done in the 1980's. (Maybe 1980
itself?). It is, of course, out-of-date on the specific issue you have
proposed. Quite a few law review articles are out there on this topic,
though. If you have access to a law library, have a reference librarian
show you how to use LegalTrac or the Current Law Index.
[ Again, I think it would be best to address these kinds of responses
directly to the students asking the questions (using the address in
the "Original Sender:" line at the beginning of the article). Anyone
who has an interest in finding out what kinds of responses were gotten
can write to the student(s), and they can post summary articles later to
let us all know the results of their studies of these various subjects.
Thanks. --Gary ]