Supreme Court Rules on Tideland Ownership
A landmark decision confirms that Indigenous nations hold title to tidelands within reservation boundaries.
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The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that the state has no title to tidelands lying within the limits of an Indian reservation, provided those boundaries were fixed by treaty, executive order, or government patent issued prior to statehood. This decision settles a long-debated question and confirms Indian title to a vast area of tidelands along Puget Sound, where most reservations extend to the low tide line. The court sustained a previous ruling by the state land commissioners.
“The state has no title to tidelands that lie within the limits of an Indian reservation.”
This decision represents a critical moment in legal efforts to affirm Tribal sovereignty over traditional coastal lands. The tension over land ownership between the State of Washington and Indigenous nations remains an ongoing civic argument today.
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