Yellowstone National Park - Legal Jurisdiction

Legal Jurisdiction

The entire park is within the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, causing it to be the only federal court district that includes portions of more than one state (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming). Law professor Brian C. Kalt has argued that it may be impossible to impanel a jury in compliance with the Vicinage Clause of the Sixth Amendment for a crime committed solely in the unpopulated Idaho portion of the park (and that it would be difficult to do so for a crime committed solely in the lightly-populated Montana portion). One defendant accused of a wildlife-related crime in the Montana portion of the park attempted to raise this argument. He eventually pleaded guilty.

Read more about this topic:  Yellowstone National Park

Famous quotes containing the words legal and/or jurisdiction:

    Narrative prose is a legal wife, while drama is a posturing, boisterous, cheeky and wearisome mistress.
    Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)

    The putting into force of laws which shall secure the conservation of our resources, as far as they may be within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, including the more important work of saving and restoring our forests and the great improvement of waterways, are all proper government functions which must involve large expenditure if properly performed.
    William Howard Taft (1857–1930)