25 U.S.C. § 355 — Laws applicable to lands of full-blooded

Page 103 TITLE 25—INDIANS § 356 § 355. Laws applicable to lands of full-blooded members of Five Civilized Tribes The lands of full-blooded members of any of the Five Civilized Tribes are made subject to the laws of the State of Oklahoma, providing for the partition of real estate. Any land allotted in such proceedings to a full-blood Indian, or con- veyed to him upon his election to take the same at the appraisement, shall remain subject to all restrictions upon alienation and taxation ob- taining prior to such partition. In case of a sale under any decree, or partition, the conveyance thereunder shall operate to relieve the land de- scribed of all restrictions of every character. (June 14, 1918, ch. 101, § 2, 40 Stat. 606.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries CHOCTAW TRIBE; SALE OF LANDS AND INTERESTS THEREIN; TRANSFER TO TRIBAL CORPORATION OR FOUNDATION; PER CAPITA DISTRIBUTION Pub. L. 91–386, § 1, Aug. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 828, repealed Pub. L. 86–192, §§ 1–12, Aug. 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 420, as amended by Pub. L. 87–609, §§ 1, 2, Aug. 24, 1962, 76 Stat. 405; Pub. L. 89–107, Aug. 4, 1965, 79 Stat. 432; Pub. L. 90–476, Aug. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 703, which provided for ter- mination of Federal supervision over affairs of the Choctaw Tribe, including termination of eligibility of individual Choctaw members for certain Federal serv- ices and benefits provided Indians because of their sta- tus as Indians; authority to establish a trustee, cor- poration, or other legal entity under State law as a successor in interest to the tribal entity; and authority for Secretary of the Interior to sell land and interest in land owned by the Choctaw Tribe for benefit of the tribe, to convey to the successor entity certain lands and mineral interests of the Choctaw Tribe, and to dis- tribute per capita funds held by the United States for benefit of the Choctaw Tribe. Pub. L. 91–386, § 2, Aug. 20, 1970, 84 Stat. 828, provided that: ‘‘Repeal of the Act of August 25, 1959 [see note above] shall not be construed to abrogate, impair, annul, or otherwise affect any right or interest which may have vested under the provisions of said Act nor shall repeal affect any legal action pending on the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 24, 1970].’’ EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF RESTRICTIONS ON LANDS Act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 786, 69 Stat. 666, as amended by Pub. L. 115–399, § 4(1), Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5333, pro- vided for application to Secretary of the Interior for re- moval of restrictions against alienation, lease, mort- gage, or other encumbrance of land; authorized the Sec- retary, without application, to remove restrictions on lands of Indians who are able to manage their own af- fairs; permitted proceeding in county court where Sec- retary disapproved or failed to either approve or dis- approve the application for removal; granted right of appeal; required Secretary to turn over full ownership and control of any money and property held in trust when an order removing restrictions becomes effective; and, continued existing exemptions from taxation that constitute a vested property right. [Pub. L. 115–399, § 4(1), which amended act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. ‘‘768’’, by repealing the first section, was exe- cuted to act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 786, see above, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.] RESTRICTION ON ALIENATION OF CERTAIN LANDS; AP- PROVAL OF CONVEYANCE; JURISDICTION OF OKLAHOMA STATE COURTS; TAX EXEMPTION Pub. L. 115–399, § 5, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5333, pro- vided that: ‘‘Nothing in this Act [see Short Title of 2018 Amendment note set out under section 331 of this title], or the amendments made by this Act, shall be con- strued to revise or extend the restricted status of any lands under the Act of August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 731, chap- ter 458) [see below] that lost restricted status under such Act before the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2018].’’ Act Aug. 4, 1947, ch. 458, 61 Stat. 731, as amended by act Aug. 12, 1953, ch. 409, § 2, 67 Stat. 558; Pub. L. 115–399, §§ 2, 3, 4(2), Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5331–5333, provided that certain restrictions on alienation of land were ex- tended until an Act of Congress determined otherwise, including interests in estates of decedent Indians who died before Dec. 31, 2018; clarified the laws relating to the approval of conveyances of restricted lands; defined the jurisdiction of Oklahoma State courts over certain classes of Indian litigation; set out the procedure gov- erning the removal of cases to the Federal courts and authorized appeals from orders of remand; preserved the right to seek removal of restrictions; preserved land transactions entered into before Dec. 31, 2018; and limited the tax-exempt acreage of restricted Indian lands. VALIDATION OF LAND TITLES AND COURT JUDGMENTS Act July 2, 1945, ch. 223, 59 Stat. 313, validated titles to certain lands conveyed by the Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes on and after April 26, 1931, and prior to July 2, 1945; amended act Jan. 27, 1933, ch. 23, 47 Stat. 777, by limiting restrictions on the alienation of lands or interests in lands acquired by inheritance, devise, or in any other manner where such lands or interests were not restricted against alienation at the time of acquisi- tion, and all conveyances executed after Jan. 27, 1937, and prior to July 2, 1945; and validated State court judgments in Oklahoma and judgments of the United States District Courts of the State of Oklahoma. CREATION OF TRUSTS Act Jan. 27, 1933, ch. 23, 47 Stat. 777, as amended by act Aug. 4, 1947, ch. 458, § 12, 61 Stat. 734, provided for the creation of trusts by Indians; authorized transfers to trustees; denied release of trust agreement restric- tions and alienation of corpus and income; made ap- proved contracts irrevocable; provided remedy for ille- gally procured trusts by cancellation proceedings; and delegated administration of act to Secretary of the In- terior. REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS FROM PART OF ALLOTTED LANDS; LEASES; TAXATION; APPOINTMENT OF LOCAL AGENTS Act May 27, 1908, ch. 199, 35 Stat. 312, as amended by act Apr. 12, 1926, ch. 115, § 1, 44 Stat. 239, provided in part for the removal of restrictions from part of the lands of allottees; authorized leases of allotted lands; made unrestricted lands subject to taxation; voided alienation or incumbrance of restricted lands; and au- thorized appointment of local agents to investigate es- tates of minors and to advise and represent allottees. FINAL DISPOSITION OF AFFAIRS OF THE FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES Act Apr. 26, 1906, ch. 1876, 34 Stat. 137, provided in part for membership and enrollment rules; required patents to issue in name of allottee and to be recorded; transferred records of land offices to the clerk of the United States district court; transferred control of tribal schools to Secretary of the Interior; abolished tribal taxes; extended restrictions on alienation of al- lotted lands; authorized conveyances of inherited lands; authorized disposal of property by will; provided that lands upon dissolution of the tribes be held in trust by the United States; and continued tribal governments. § 356. Allowance of undisputed claims of re- stricted allottees of Five Civilized Tribes No undisputed claims to be paid from indi- vidual moneys of restricted allottees, or their heirs, or uncontested agricultural and mineral leases (excluding oil and gas leases) made by in-