Mattaponi Indian Tribe v. Commonwealth

By Judge Charles E. Poston

The Supreme Court of Virginia consolidated these actions in Alliance to Save the Mattaponi v. Commonwealth, 270 Va. 423, 621 S.E.2d 78 (2005), all of which dealt with issues concerning plans by the Defendant localities to construct the King William Reservoir Project (“Reservoir”). All of the issues presented were resolved except one, the Mattaponi Indian Tribe’s claims against the City of Newport News under the 1677 Treaty at Middle Plantation (“Treaty”) between King Charles II and the predecessors of the Mattaponi Indian Tribe. The Circuit Court held that, while…