High court to rule on tribal courts' powers over non-Indians

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from Mississippi over the authority of tribal courts to try civil lawsuits involving non-Indians.

The justices are stepping into a lawsuit over allegations of sexual abuse of a teenager at a Dollar General store located on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians reservation.

The family of the teen identified in court papers as John Doe filed a lawsuit in tribal court in 2005 seeking $2.5 million from the owners of the store and the man who allegedly molested him. The man has since been dismissed from the suit. The teen was taking part in a tribe-run job internship program.

The issue for the Supreme Court is whether the non-Indian owners of the store can be sued in tribal courts.