U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1999

United States v. Guassac

United States v. Guassac
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · Decided March 2, 1999 · Kozinski, Lovell, Scannlain
169 F.3d 1188 (Federal Reporter, Third Series)

United States v. Guassac

Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM:

Appellants contend that the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians is not an “Indian Tribal Organization” within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 1163 and, therefore, that we must reverse their conviction because the district court lacked jurisdiction over them. The Tenth Circuit rejected a *1189similar claim in United States v. Palmer, 766 F.2d 1441 (10th Cir. 1985). We agree with their reasoning and conclude that “federal criminal statutes are applicable uniformly to all tribes within the jurisdiction of Congress.” Id. at 1444. Accordingly, this case was properly brought under 18 U.S.C. § 1163.

AFFIRMED.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.