Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1152: Laws governing

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes that federal criminal laws apply in Indian country, with exceptions for offenses between Indians, tribal punishments, and cases where treaties grant tribes exclusive jurisdiction.

Read the full statutory text

Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the general laws of the United States as to the punishment of offenses committed in any place within the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, except the District of Columbia, shall extend to the Indian country. This section shall not extend to offenses committed by one Indian against the person or property of another Indian, nor to any Indian committing any offense in the Indian country who has been punished by the local law of the tribe, or to any case where, by treaty stipulations, the exclusive jurisdiction over such offenses is or may be secured to the Indian tribes respectively.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.