United States v. Kagama
Case Date: 07/22/1886
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United States v. Kagama, 118 U.S. 375 (1886), is a United States Supreme Court case that upheld the Constitutionality of the Major Crimes Act of 1885. Kagama was selected as a test case by the Department of Justice to test the constitutionality of the Major Crimes Act of 1885, which was passed as a rider to an appropriations bill . This Congressional Act gave the federal courts jurisdiction in certain cases of Indian on Indian crimes, even if the crimes were committed on an Indian Reservation. The importance of the ruling in this case was that it upheld the constitutionality of the Major Crimes Act of 1885 and confirmed Congress’ plenary power over Indian affairs. Plenary power over Indian tribes, supposedly granted to the U.S. Congress by the Commerce Clause of the Constitution (Article I §8.3) was affirmed and broadened by the Supreme Court in this decision; thus, allowing Congress to pass the Dawes Act the following year.[1]
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