South Carolina et al. v. Catawba Indian Tribe, Inc.

Decided June 2, 1986. John Paul Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 84-782 · 476 U.S. 498 (1986) · Cited 171 times

Holding

The explicit redefinition of the relationship between the Federal Government and respondent Tribe reflected in the Catawba Act's clear language requires the application of the state statute of limitations to the Tribe's claim.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 6–3.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Countyof Oneida v. Oneida Indian Nation of NY · 470 U.S. 226 (1985)
• Oneida Indian Nation v. County of Oneida · 414 U.S. 661 (1974)
• Menominee Tribe of Indians v. United States · 391 U.S. 404 (1968)
• DeCoteau v. District County Court for the Tenth Judicial District · 420 U.S. 425 (1975)
• Bryan v. Itasca County · 426 U.S. 373 (1976)
• United States v. Santa Fe Pacific Railroad · 314 U.S. 339 (1942)
• Wilson v. Garcia · 471 U.S. 261 (1985)
• Northern Cheyenne Tribe v. Hollowbreast · 425 U.S. 649 (1976)
• Pembaur v. City of Cincinnati · 475 U.S. 469 (1986)
• DelCostello v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters · 462 U.S. 151 (1983)
• Bishop v. Wood · 426 U.S. 341 (1976)
• Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, Inc. · 421 U.S. 454 (1975)
• Affiliated Ute Citizens of Utah v. United States · 406 U.S. 128 (1972)
• Board of Regents of Univ. of State of NY v. Tomanio · 446 U.S. 478 (1980)
• Regents of the University of Michigan v. Ewing · 474 U.S. 214 (1985)
• United States v. Menasche · 348 U.S. 528 (1955)
• International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America v. Hoosier Cardinal Corp. · 383 U.S. 696 (1966)
• Colautti v. Franklin · 439 U.S. 379 (1979)
• Occidental Life Insurance v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission · 432 U.S. 355 (1977)
• Montclair v. Ramsdell · 107 U.S. 147 (1883)
• Choate v. Trapp · 224 U.S. 665 (1912)
• Andrus v. Glover Construction Co. · 446 U.S. 608 (1980)
• Jones v. Meehan · 175 U.S. 1 (1899)
• United States v. Antelope · 430 U.S. 641 (1977)
• Propper v. Clark · 337 U.S. 472 (1949)
• Cope v. Anderson · 331 U.S. 461 (1947)
• Mattz v. Arnett · 412 U.S. 481 (1973)
• Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation · 362 U.S. 99 (1960)
• Campbell v. Haverhill · 155 U.S. 610 (1895)
• O'Sullivan v. Felix · 233 U.S. 318 (1914)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Amoco Production Co. v. Village of Gambell · 480 U.S. 531 (1987)
• Chickasaw Nation v. United States · 534 U.S. 84 (2001)
• Negonsott v. Samuels · 507 U.S. 99 (1993)
• South Dakota v. Yankton Sioux Tribe · 522 U.S. 329 (1998)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

Explore from here

John Paul Stevens’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1986). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).