Law & Order

A Cherokee Nation manslaughter case has been complicated by a jurisdictional error after a judge ruled that a county-issued search warrant was invalid, leading to key evidence being suppressed. The case is now moving forward in the Cherokee Nation District Court as families on both sides raise concerns about how the error may affect the upcoming trial.

Oklahoma’s top elected leaders are at odds over a long-running pollution lawsuit against Tyson Foods and other poultry giants, with Attorney General Gentner Drummond seeking more than $100 million in penalties while Gov. Kevin Stitt pushes to delay the case.

Two Cherokee-owned law firms ,Sterling Oaks Law Firm of Broken Arrow and Gifford Law, PLLC of Oklahoma City , have been named among Oklahoma’s best for Native American law in the 2025 Best Law Firms rankings, recognizing their leadership and expertise in tribal and federal legal matters.

In a motion filed this week in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Stitt urged the court to “expedite discussions and break the current impasse” in State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods Inc., a case that has loomed over Oklahoma’s environmental and agricultural landscape since 2005.

A Cherokee County child sexual abuse investigation has stalled after Snapchat refused to honor a tribal court warrant, citing it was not a “court of competent jurisdiction.” The case, involving a young Cherokee woman and her former boyfriend, highlights ongoing jurisdictional gaps following the McGirt ruling. Investigators say critical evidence may now be lost as social media companies fail to recognize tribal legal authority, delaying justice for the victim.

By Courtney R. Jordan | The Journal Record | Reposted by Cherokee 411 | October 3, 2025 Oklahoma’s courts recently gave me a second...