Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones
411 U.S. 145 · Decided March 27, 1973 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones was decided on March 27, 1973 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision in part and reversed or vacated it in part. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Indians, state jurisdiction” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 411 U.S. 145 · 93 S. Ct. 1267 · 36 L. Ed. 2d 114 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 88
- Docket number
- 71-738
- Decided
- March 27, 1973
- Argued
- December 12, 1972
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed and reversed (or vacated) in part
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Byron R. White
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Indians, state jurisdiction
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- 25 U.S.C. § 465
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Full case caption
Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones, Commissioner, Bureau of Revenue of New Mexico, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1972-086, docket 1972-086-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Indians, state jurisdiction”
- McClanahan v. Arizona State Tax CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Tonasket v. Washington
- Mattz v. Arnett
- Department of Game of Washington v. Puyallup Tribe
- Oneida Indian Nation of New York v. County of Oneida
- Antoine et Ux. v. Washington
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Philpott v. Essex County Welfare BoardLaw held unconstitutional
- District of Columbia v. Carter
- United States v. Kras
- Goosby v. Osser
- Gomez v. PerezLaw held unconstitutional
- Mahan v. HowellLaw held unconstitutional
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error