Muskrat v. United States
United States Supreme Court
219 U.S. 346 (1911)
Relevant factsFree
After Congress passed acts restricting rights previously granted to Native Americans under an earlier land-allocation act, a later 1907 act specifically authorized affected individuals to sue the United States to test the constitutionality of those restrictive acts, with the U.S. Treasury covering both sides' legal fees regardless of outcome. Muskrat and others (plaintiffs) sued under this 1907 act, the Court of Claims found the restrictive acts valid, and they appealed to the Supreme Court.
IssueFree
Whether the United States Supreme Court has jurisdiction to determine the constitutional validity of an act of Congress if there is no case or controversy between adverse parties.