Onondaga Nation Land Claim records
Scope and Contents
Collection includes official court filings, historical and legal experts' reports and maps, a transcript of oral argument, and background research materials prepared during the ongoing litigation. Also included is related information collected by the processor, Karen L. Spencer, the Archives and Special Collections Librarian in the Charles B. Sears Law Library.
Dates
- 2005-2008
Creator
- Lehman, J. David (Person)
- Bieder, Robert E. (Robert Eugene), 1938- (Person)
- Clark Concrete Co. Inc. (Organization)
- Coulter, Robert T. (Person)
- Hanson Aggregates North America (Organization)
- Heath, Joseph J. (Person)
- Honeywell International Inc. (Organization)
- Indian Law Resource Center (Organization)
- Robertson, Lindsay Gordon (Person)
- Wallace, Anthony F. C., 1923- (Person)
Terms of Access
The bulk of the Onondaga Nation Land Claims Records are open for research. Materials can be examined by qualified researchers in the Law Library during hours of operation during which Law Reference Librarians are present. In order to insure access, researchers are advised to contact the Law Library in advance of visits.
Copyright
Court materials are in the public domain. Copyright of background research materials lies with the respective authors or authors’ heirs and publishers. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.
Historical Note
On March 11, 2005 the Onondaga Nation filed a federal court action in the Northern District of New York seeking a declaratory judgment that they hold title to their aboriginal territory in central New York State stretching from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to Pennsylvania. The case, Onondaga Nation v. New York, et al, 05-CV-0314 , does not seek eviction of landholders or damages but a declaration that New York illegally took the land from the Onondagas in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Onondaga's expressed motivation is to participate in and encourage full environmental clean-up of Onondaga Lake and the surrounding area.
The defendants are the State of New York, the Governor, Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, Honeywell International, Inc., Trigen Syracuse Energy Corp., Clark Concrete Co., Inc., Valley Realty Development Co., Inc., and Hanson Aggregates North America.
Oral argument on the defendants' motion to dismiss was heard on October 11, 2007.
Extent
1 Linear Feet (2 manuscript boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Materials from litigation of Onondaga Nation land claims in central New York State, Onondaga Nation v. New York, et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, Docket 05-CV-0314
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in four series:
I. Plaintiff's Filings
II. Defendant's Filings
III. Court Actions
IV. Background Materials
I-III are arranged by item number in the court's docket found in Series III.
Acquisition Information
Gift of electronic copy on cd-rom of items filed on behalf of the plaintiff, Onondaga Nation, received from their attorney, Joseph Heath in November, 2006. Other items from the docket printed from the PACER electronic database in January 2008. Also includes background information collected by the processor.
Accruals and Additions
Accruals are expected to this collection as the case progresses through the courts.
Processing Information
Processed by Karen L. Spencer.
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Onondaga Nation Land Claim records, 2005-2008
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Karen L. Spencer.
- Date
- 2008
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Charles B. Sears Law Library Repository