TULSA - A landmark agreement between the City of Tulsa and the Muscogee Nation aimed at resolving questions of criminal jurisdiction within reservation boundaries has been invalidated by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, marking a significant development in the ongoing debate over tribal and municipal authority.
The agreement, signed in June 2025, between Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill and Mayor Monroe Nichols, was designed to settle a long-running legal dispute regarding the prosecution of Native American citizens for certain municipal offenses occurring within the Muscogee Nation Reservation in Tulsa.
Under the settlement, Tulsa Police officers would have retained their authority to enforce local laws and conduct traffic stops throughout the city. However, cases involving tribal citizens accused of certain municipal offenses, primarily traffic violations occurring within reservation boundaries in southern Tulsa, would have been referred to Muscogee Nation courts for prosecution.
