United States v. Rogers
Encyclopedia
United States v. Rogers, 45 U.S. 567
(1846), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States
holding that a white man, adopted into an Indian tribe, does not become exempt from the enforcement of the laws prohibiting murder.
for the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Arkansas
. The murder took place in the Indian Territory
. Rogers claimed that he had been adopted into the tribe since his marriage to a Native American (Indian) woman and that he was now part of the Cherokee Tribe
. He claimed that Nicholson had also been adopted into the tribe and was a Cherokee. Rogers claimed that as an Indian (by adoption), the United States did not have jurisdiction to try him for the murder of another Indian (also by adoption).
delivered the opinion of the court. Taney noted that while the Cherokee nation and their treaties with the United States
did have bearing, Rogers was a white man and a citizen of the United States. Whatever obligations and responsibilities that he incurred by his adoption into the tribe did not negate his obligations and responsibilities to the United States. Rogers was still a U.S. citizen
and subject to federal laws.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1846), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
holding that a white man, adopted into an Indian tribe, does not become exempt from the enforcement of the laws prohibiting murder.
Background
William S. Rogers, a white man, was indicted for the murder of Jacob Nicholson, another white man, by the grand juryGrand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
for the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Arkansas
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
. The murder took place in the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
. Rogers claimed that he had been adopted into the tribe since his marriage to a Native American (Indian) woman and that he was now part of the Cherokee Tribe
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
. He claimed that Nicholson had also been adopted into the tribe and was a Cherokee. Rogers claimed that as an Indian (by adoption), the United States did not have jurisdiction to try him for the murder of another Indian (also by adoption).
Opinion of the Court
Chief Justice Roger B. TaneyRoger B. Taney
Roger Brooke Taney was the fifth Chief Justice of the United States, holding that office from 1836 until his death in 1864. He was the first Roman Catholic to hold that office or sit on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was also the eleventh United States Attorney General. He is most...
delivered the opinion of the court. Taney noted that while the Cherokee nation and their treaties with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
did have bearing, Rogers was a white man and a citizen of the United States. Whatever obligations and responsibilities that he incurred by his adoption into the tribe did not negate his obligations and responsibilities to the United States. Rogers was still a U.S. citizen
Citizenship in the United States
Citizenship in the United States is a status given to individuals that entails specific rights, duties, privileges, and benefits between the United States and the individual...
and subject to federal laws.