A federal district judge on Friday, December 15, 2023, dismissed the Hooper v. Tulsa case, stating that the city does not have jurisdiction over municipal violations committed by tribal citizens.
Judge William P. Johnson, for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, stated in his ruling: "Tulsa no longer has jurisdiction over municipal violations committed by its Indian inhabitants."
The case involved Justin Hooper, a tribal citizen of the Choctaw Nation, who resides in the city of Tulsa, Okla. In 2018, Hooper was issued a speeding ticket by Tulsa police which resulted in a $150 fine imposed by Tulsa Municipal Criminal Court.
Make A Donation Here
In 2020, though, the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma decision ruled that a large swath of northeastern Oklahoma was still an Indian reservation, putting some court rulings into question.
Friday's ruling comes on the heels of a decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver that reversed a district court’s ruling on the case on June 28, 2023.
On Friday, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. issued a statement posted to the Cherokee Nation Facebook page.
"This summer, the 10th Circuit's Hooper v. City of Tulsa ruling upheld settled federal law, reaffirming that states and municipalities do not have criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens on tribal land. The decision rejected to upend these legal principles by turning to defunct, territorial provisions of the Curtis Act. With this case now dismissed, the Cherokee Nation continues to support collaborative approaches on public safety that respect rather than attack tribal sovereignty," Hoskin said in the Facebook post.
Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David W. Hill said in a statement:
"We applaud the decision of the court to uphold the law and dismiss this frivolous case. The parties behind these politically-driven cases are working to make our state less safe. The McGirt decision means more police, courts, and prosecutors working to keep our communities peaceful. Oklahomans deserve that. That is why we have been asking Congress to pass legislation to fully empower tribes to prosecute anyone who violates the law on our reservations, and to enhance the ability of the tribes to broaden their law enforcement capabilities within the reservations for all Oklahomans.”
More Stories Like This
50 Years of Self-Determination: How a Landmark Act Empowered Tribal Sovereignty and Transformed Federal-Tribal RelationsMuscogee Nation and City of Tulsa Reach Agreement on Criminal Jurisdiction and Public Safety Collaboration
Panel on Ethical Tribal Engagement at OU Highlights Healing, Research and Sovereignty
Groundbreaking Held for Western Navajo Pipeline Phase I – LeChee Water System Improvement Project
Navajo Citizens Voice Mixed Reactions to Trump’s Coal Executive Order at Public Hearing
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
