The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in United States v. Joshua James Cooley, No. 19-1414, on March 23, 2021.

The arguments, which took place via teleconference, lasted about an 1 hour and 10 minutes. Justices heard about a police officer stop on the Crow Reservation in Montana, where a non-Indian was found with drugs and was charged with drug trafficking in federal court.

Joshua Cooley later sought to have the evidence against him suppressed. He eventually convinced the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that a police officer employed by the Crow Tribe did not have authority to detain him because of his status as a non-Indian.

The 9th Circuit decision is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court. The case was accepted at the request of the federal government.

A decision is expected before the end of the court's term in June 2021.