Quentin Veneno, Jr., Petitioner v. United States

This case asked the Supreme Court to revisit the Major Crimes Act and the idea that Congress has broad power over Native American affairs. The Court declined review, so it did not decide those constitutional questions and left the Tenth Circuit's result in place.

That means people raising similar challenges to federal criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country do not get a new Supreme Court answer from this case. For example, a defendant arguing the Major Crimes Act is unconstitutional still faces the lower courts' existing precedents.

There is no further action in this Supreme Court case. The Tenth Circuit's judgment remains in effect unless a future case raises the issue and the Court agrees to hear it.

The petition challenged the Major Crimes Act and argued that the federal government's plenary power over Native American affairs is unconstitutional. It also asked the Court to reconsider federal jurisdiction precedent.

Defendants and tribal communities affected by federal criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country may feel the impact. Existing lower-court rules stay in place for now.

This Supreme Court case is over. The Tenth Circuit's result stands, and any broader change would need to come from another case or Congress.