bryant argued april decided june response high incidence domestic violence native american women congress enacted felony offense domestic assault indian country habitual offender section provides person commits domestic assault within indian country least two prior final convictions domestic violence rendered federal state indian tribal proceedings shall fined imprisoned term years two prior convictions domestic violence crimes thus predicate new offense case raises question whether inclusion convictions predicate offenses compatible sixth amendment right counsel sixth amendment guarantees indigent defendants appointed counsel state federal criminal proceeding term imprisonment imposed scott illinois apply proceedings see plains commerce bank long family land cattle indian civil rights act icra governs proceedings accords range procedural safeguards defendants similar identical contained bill rights fourteenth amendment santa clara pueblo martinez particular icra provides indigent defendants right appointed counsel sentences exceeding one year icra right counsel therefore coextensive sixth amendment right held conviction obtained state federal violation defendant sixth amendment right counsel used subsequent proceeding support guilt enhance punishment another offense burgett texas use constitutionally infirm conviction cause accused effect suffe anew prior deprivation sixth amendment right ibid burgett principle limited holding nichols uncounseled misdemeanor conviction valid scott prison term imposed also valid used enhance punishment subsequent conviction respondent michael bryant multiple convictions domestic assault convicted bryant indigent appointed counsel convictions sentenced terms imprisonment exceeding one year duration short prison terms prior proceedings complied icra convictions therefore valid entered based domestic assaults committed bryant indicted two counts domestic assault habitual offender violation represented federal appointed counsel contended sixth amendment precluded use prior uncounseled misdemeanor convictions satisfy element moved dismiss indictment district denied motion bryant pleaded guilty reserving right appeal ninth circuit reversed conviction directed dismissal indictment comprehended bryant uncounseled convictions valid entered sixth amendment right counsel apply proceedings held however bryant convictions used predicate convictions within compass violated sixth amendment rendered state federal held bryant convictions occurred proceedings complied icra therefore valid entered use convictions predicate offenses prosecution violate constitution nichols instructs convictions valid entered retain status invoked subsequent proceeding nichols reasoned nhancement statutes change penalty imposed earlier conviction rather laws penaliz last offense committed defendant bryant sentence violating punishes recent acts domestic assault prior crimes prosecuted tribal denied right counsel tribal sixth amendment right honored federal bryant acknowledges nichols allowed reliance uncounseled convictions resulting fines satisfy predicate cause distinguish purposes convictions valid uncounseled convictions resulting imprisonment term exceeding one year neither violates sixth amendment bryant aided burgett defendant convicted tribal suffered sixth amendment violation first instance suffe anew prior deprivation federal prosecution bryant also invokes due process clause fifth amendment support assertion judgments used predicate offenses icra however guarantees due process law accords procedural safeguards permits prisoner challenge fundamental fairness tribal proceedings federal habeas corpus proceedings proceedings compliance icra sufficiently ensure reliability convictions use convictions federal prosecution violate defendant due process right pp reversed remanded ginsburg delivered opinion unanimous thomas filed concurring opinion opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press petitioner michael bryant writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice ginsburg delivered opinion response high incidence domestic violence native american women congress enacted targets serial offenders section makes federal crime person commi domestic assault within indian country person least two prior final convictions domestic violence rendered federal state indian tribal proceedings see violence women department justice reauthorization act vawa reauthorization act pub stat respondent michael bryant multiple convictions domestic assault convictions sentenced terms imprisonment none exceeding one year duration convictions count purposes bryant maintains uncounseled proceedings sixth amendment guarantees indigent defendants state federal criminal proceedings appointed counsel case term imprisonment imposed scott illinois sixth amendment apply proceedings see plains commerce bank long family land cattle indian civil rights act icra pub stat et governs criminal proceedings tribal courts requires appointed counsel sentence one year imprisonment imposed bryant convictions undisputed valid entered case presents question whether convictions though uncounseled rank predicate offenses within compass answer yes bryant convictions violate sixth amendment obtained retain validity invoked prosecution proceeding generates sixth amendment defect none previously existed ompared groups native american women experience highest rates domestic violence cong rec remarks mccain according centers disease control prevention many american indian alaska native women victims physical violence intimate partner centers disease control prevention national center injury prevention control black et national intimate partner sexual violence survey summary report table online http internet materials last visited june american indian alaska native women times likely raped sexually assaulted women general dept justice attorney general advisory committee american indian alaska native children exposed violence ending violence children thrive online https american indian women experience battery rate per compared per among caucasian women experience sexual assaults per compared per among black americans per among caucasians per among hispanic women per among asian women vawa reauthorization act stat noted domestic abusers exhibit high rates recidivism violence often escalates severity time castleman slip nationwide female victims intimate partner violence previously victimized offender dept justice bureau justice statistics catalano intimate partner violence rev figure online http often multiple times dept justice national institute justice tjaden thoennes extent nature consequences intimate partner violence iv online https omen physically assaulted intimate partner averaged physical assaults incidents repeating escalating abuse occasionally culminate fatal attack see vawa reauthorization act stat uring period homicide third leading cause death indian females aged percent killed family members complex patchwork federal state tribal law governing indian country duro reina made difficult stem tide domestic violence experienced native american women although tribal courts may enforce tribe criminal laws indian defendants congress curbed tribal courts sentencing authority time passage icra limited sentences tribal maximum one year imprisonment ed congress since expanded tribal courts sentencing authority allowing impose three years imprisonment contingent adoption additional procedural safeguards stat codified date however tribes employed enhanced sentencing authority see tribal law policy implementation chart vawa enhanced jurisdiction tloa enhanced sentencing online http unable unwilling fill enforcement gap lack jurisdiction crimes committed indian country indian victims see john congress increased potential state action giving six jurisdiction specified areas indian country within provid ing voluntary assumption jurisdiction california cabazon band mission indians omitted see act pub stat codified amended empowered may apply criminal laws offenses committed indians within indian country within state cabazon band mission indians see even capable exercising jurisdiction however devoted limited criminal justice resources crimes committed indian country jimenez song concurrent tribal state jurisdiction public law rev tribal law policy deer goldberg valdez singleton white eagle final report focus group public law sexual assault native women online http leaves federal government although federal law generally governs indian country congress long excluded jurisdiction crimes committed indian another indian see ex parte crow dog requiring clear expression intention congress confer federal jurisdiction crimes committed indian another indian major crimes act congress authorized federal jurisdiction enumerated grave criminal offenses perpetrator victim indians including murder manslaughter felony assault time enactment felony assault subject federal prosecution required serious bodily injury ed meaning substantial risk death extreme physical pain protracted obvious disfigurement protracted loss impairment function bodily member organ mental faculty incorporated short congress indian perpetrators domestic violence escape felony charges seriously injure kill ed someone cong rec remarks mccain result limitations tribal state federal jurisdiction indian country serial domestic violence offenders prior enactment faced year imprisonment per offense sentence insufficient deter repeated escalating abuse ratchet punishment serial offenders congress created federal felony offense domestic assault indian country habitual offender ed see july app pet cert owens dissenting denial rehearing en banc tailored unique problems american indian alaska native tribes face provides punishment serial domestic violence offenders represents first true effort remove recidivists communities repeatedly section provides pertinent part person commits domestic assault within indian country final conviction least separate prior occasions federal state indian tribal proceedings offenses subject federal jurisdiction assault sexual abuse serious violent felony spouse intimate partner shall fined imprisoned term years two prior convictions domestic violence crimes including convictions thus predicate new offense case requires us determine whether inclusion convictions compatible sixth amendment right counsel sixth amendment constitution guarantees criminal defendant state federal assistance counsel defence see gideon wainwright right held requires appointment counsel indigent defendants whenever sentence imprisonment imposed argersinger hamlin indigent defendant constitutional right appointed counsel conviction results fine noncustodial punishment scott separate sovereigns constitution tribes historically regarded unconstrained constitutional provisions framed specifically limitations federal state authority santa clara pueblo martinez bill rights including sixth amendment right counsel therefore apply proceedings see plains commerce bank icra however congress accorded range procedural safeguards defendants similar identical contained bill rights fourteenth amendment martinez see icra modified safeguards bill rights fit unique political cultural economic needs tribal governments addition enumerated protections icra guarantees due process law allows defendants seek habeas corpus review federal test legality imprisonment right counsel icra coextensive sixth amendment right tribal imposes sentence excess one year icra requires accord defendant right effective assistance counsel least equal guaranteed constitution including appointment counsel indigent defendant tribe expense sentence imposed greater one year however tribal must allow defendant opportunity obtain counsel expense tribal therefore unlike federal state sentence imprisonment one year may imposed without according indigent defendants right appointed counsel question presented permissible use uncounseled convictions obtained full compliance icra establish predicate undisputed conviction obtained violation defendant sixth amendment right counsel used subsequent proceeding either support guilt enhance punishment another offense burgett texas burgett held uncounseled felony conviction obtained state violation right counsel used subsequent proceeding prove element recidivist statute permit use constitutionally infirm conviction explained cause accused effect suffe anew prior deprivation sixth amendment right ibid see tucker invalid uncounseled prior convictions relied upon sentencing impose longer term imprisonment subsequent conviction cf loper beto plurality opinion use convictions constitutionally invalid gideon wainwright impeach defendant credibility deprives due process law prior convictions lac reliability nichols stated important limitation principle recognized burgett case review nichols pleaded guilty federal felony drug offense several years earlier unrepresented counsel convicted driving influence dui misdemeanor fined imprisoned ibid nichols dui conviction sentencing guidelines effectively elevated two years sentencing range nichols federal drug offense ibid rejected nichols contention later sentence federal drug offense involved imprisonment use uncounseled dui conviction elevate sentence violated sixth amendment onsistent sixth fourteenth amendments constitution held uncounseled misdemeanor conviction valid scott prison term imposed also valid used enhance punishment subsequent conviction respondent bryant conduct illustrative domestic violence problem existing indian country period relevant case bryant enrolled member northern cheyenne tribe lived tribe reservation montana record convictions including several misdemeanor convictions domestic assault specifically bryant pleaded guilty least five occasions northern cheyenne tribal committing domestic abuse violation northern cheyenne tribal code one occasion bryant hit girlfriend head beer bottle attempted strangle another bryant beat different girlfriend kneeing face breaking nose leaving bruised bloodied bryant repeated brutal acts domestic violence tribal sentenced terms imprisonment never exceeding one year convicted offenses bryant indigent appointed counsel short prison terms bryant acknowledges prior proceedings complied icra convictions therefore valid entered bryant never challenged convictions federal icra habeas corpus provision bryant arrested yet assaulting women february year bryant attacked girlfriend dragging bed pulling hair repeatedly punching kicking interview law enforcement officers bryant admitted physically assaulted woman five six times three months later assaulted another woman living waking yelling find truck keys choking almost lost consciousness bryant later stated assaulted victim three separate occasions two months dated based assaults federal grand jury montana indicted bryant two counts domestic assault habitual offender violation bryant represented federal appointed counsel contending sixth amendment precluded use prior uncounseled misdemeanor convictions satisfy element bryant moved dismiss indictment district denied motion app pet cert bryant entered conditional guilty plea reserving right appeal decision bryant sentenced concurrent terms months imprisonment count followed three years supervised release appeals ninth circuit reversed conviction directed dismissal indictment bryant convictions constitutionally infirm ninth circuit comprehended sixth amendment right appointed counsel apply tribal proceedings continued convictions obtained state federal violated sixth amendment bryant received sentences imprisonment although lacked aid appointed counsel adhering prior decision ant appeals held subject narrow exceptions relevant tribal convictions may used subsequent federal prosecutions tribal guarantees right counsel minimum coextensive sixth amendment right rejecting government argument decision nichols required opposite result ninth circuit concluded nichols applies prior conviction comport sixth amendment sentence imprisonment imposed prior conviction judge watford concurred agreeing ant controlled outcome case urging reexamination ant light nichols decision nichols judge watford wrote undermines notion uncounseled convictions categorical matter unreliable used basis imposing prison sentence subsequent case appeals declined rehear case en banc vigorous dissents judges owens disallowing use uncounseled conviction establish prior domestic violence conviction within compass ninth circuit created circuit split eighth tenth circuits held convictions valid inception alleged otherwise unreliable may used prove elements cavanaugh see shavanaux resolve disagreement granted certiorari reverse ii bryant convictions recognizes infringed constitutional right sixth amendment apply proceedings brief respondent prior convictions complied icra concedes therefore valid entered convictions occurred state federal bryant observes argersinger scott rendered invalid sentenced incarceration without representation counsel essentially bryant urges us treat convictions purposes though entered federal state next explain decline earlier recounted held nichols uncounseled misdemeanor conviction valid scott prison term imposed also valid used enhance punishment subsequent conviction enhancement statutes reasoned change penalty imposed earlier conviction rather laws penaliz last offense committed defendant see rodriquez defendant given higher sentence recidivism statute punishment offense conviction none prior convictions defendant recidivist nichols thus instructs convictions valid entered rendered violate constitution retain status invoked subsequent proceeding nichols reasoning steers result bryant sentence violating punishes recent acts domestic assault prior crimes prosecuted tribal bryant denied right counsel tribal sixth amendment right honored federal adjudicated guilty felony offense imprisoned alabama shelton odd say conviction untainted violation sixth amendment triggers violation amendment used subsequent case defendant right appointed counsel fully respected watford concurring bryant acknowledges punished fines proceedings nichols allowed reliance uncounseled convictions satisfy predicate brief respondent see cause distinguish purposes valid uncounseled convictions resulting fine valid uncounseled convictions resulting imprisonment exceeding one year nichols bryant uncounseled convictions sixth amendment reason sixth amendment right appointed counsel apply either conviction app pet cert dissenting denial rehearing en banc keeping nichols resist creating hybrid category convictions good punishment actually imposed available sentence enhancement later prosecution nichols indicates use bryant uncounseled convictions prosecution transform prior valid tribal convictions new invalid federal ones app pet cert opinion decision burgett prohibited subsequent use conviction obtained violation right counsel aid bryant reliance invalid conviction burgett reasoned cause accused suffe anew deprivation sixth amendment right defendant convicted tribal suffers sixth amendment violation first instance se tribal convictions subsequent prosecution violate sixth amendment shavanaux bryant observes reliability concerns underlie decisions urges concerns remain even sixth amendment shelter scott nichols however counter argument uncounseled misdemeanor convictions categorically unreliable either right use subsequent proceeding bryant recognition conviction resulting fine qualify predicate offense note diminishes force argument reason suppose proceedings less reliable sentence year imprisonment imposed punishment merely fine evidentiary procedural variation turns sanction fine year prison ultimately imposed bryant also invokes due process clause fifth amendment support assertion judgments used predicate offenses earlier observed icra requires tribes ensure due process law accords defendants specific procedural safeguards resembling contained bill rights fourteenth amendment see supra icra makes habeas review federal available persons incarcerated pursuant judgment means prisoner may challenge fundamental fairness proceedings tribal proceedings compliance icra congress determined agree sufficiently ensure reliability convictions therefore use convictions federal prosecution violate defendant right due process see shavanaux cf state spotted eagle mont principles comity support recognizing uncounseled convictions complied icra bryant convictions occurred proceedings complied icra therefore valid entered use convictions predicate offenses prosecution violate constitution accordingly reverse judgment appeals ninth circuit remand case proceedings consistent opinion ordered thomas concurring petitioner michael bryant writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice thomas concurring holds neither sixth amendment fifth amendment due process clause prohibits government using michael bryant uncounseled convictions predicates federal crime committing domestic assault within indian country ante see making federal crime commi domestic assault within indian country person final conviction least separate prior occasions indian tribal proceedings domestic assault similar crimes precedents dictate holding join opinion fact case arose however illustrates far afield sixth amendment precedents gone three basic assumptions underlie case sixth amendment ordinarily bars government introducing later proceeding convictions obtained violation right counsel ante tribes retained sovereignty entitles prosecute tribal members proceedings subject constitution ante congress punish assaults tribal members commit indian land ante although precedents endorsed assumptions decades never identified sound constitutional basis see none start notion sixth amendment generally prohibits government using prior uncounseled conviction obtained violation right counsel predicate new offense new proceeding ante text sixth amendment requires criminal prosecution accused enjoy ssistance ounsel proceeding likely wrong burgett texas created sixth amendment exclusionary rule prohibits government using prior convictions obtained violation right counsel subsequent proceedings avoid erod ing principle right counsel open reconsidering burgett future case remaining two assumptions underpinning case exemplify central tension within jurisprudence one hand reason tribal courts power convict bryant proceedings right counsel prosecutions function tribe core sovereignty see lara wheeler virtue tribes status sovereigns constitution tribal prosecutions need precedents comply constitutional provisions framed specifically limitations federal state authority ante quoting santa clara pueblo martinez hand validity bryant ensuing federal conviction rests upon contrary view tribal sovereignty congress ordinarily lacks authority enact general federal criminal law proscribing domestic abuse see morrison suggests congress must intervene reservations ensure prolific domestic abusers receive sufficient punishment see ante explain congress power act comes precedents leave doubt score congress make bryant domestic assaults federal crime subject federal prosecution precedents endowed congress power aspects tribal sovereignty wheeler supra thus even though tribal prosecutions tribal members purportedly apex tribal sovereignty congress tribes prosecute domestic abuse perpetrated indians indians indian land virtue plenary power indian tribes see kagama accord lara continue doubt whether either view tribal sovereignty correct see thomas concurring judgment indian tribes varied origins discrete treaties different patterns assimilation conquest light tribes distinct histories strains credulity assume tribes necessarily retained sovereign prerogative prosecuting members treating tribes possessing identical quantum sovereignty precedents made impossible understand ultimate source tribe sovereignty whether endures see prakash tribal fungibility cornell rev congress purported plenary power indian tribes rests even shakier foundations enumerated power congress power regulate commerce indian tribes senate role approving treaties anything else gives congress sweeping authority see lara supra thomas concurring judgment adoptive couple baby girl thomas concurring slip indeed created new power unable find enumerated power justifying federal major crimes act first time punished crimes committed indians indians indian land see kagama supra cf ante asserted power general government remnants race powerful weak diminished numbers necessary protection must exist government never existed anywhere else kagama supra century later kagama endures foundation doctrine searched vain valid constitutional justification unfettered power see lone wolf hitchcock relying kagama plenary power theory winton amos congress plenary authority based indians condition tutelage dependency wheeler supra winton lone wolf illustrate undisputed fact congress plenary authority tribes lara supra thomas concurring judgment utterly fails find provision constitution gives congress enumerated power alter tribal sovereignty time reconsider precedents ceases treating indian tribes undifferentiated mass case law remain bedeviled amorphous ahistorical assumptions scope tribal sovereignty rejects fiction congress possesses plenary power indian affairs precedents continue based paternalistic theory congress must assume control remnants race good kagama supra footnotes indian country defined encompass land within indian reservation federal jurisdiction dependent indian communities indian allotments indian titles extinguished icra permitted sentences imprisonment six months see stat among additional safeguards attending longer sentences unqualified right indigent defendant appointed counsel tribal governments generally lack criminal jurisdiction commit crimes indian country see oliphant suquamish tribe violence women reauthorization act congress amended icra authorize tribal courts exercise special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction certain domestic violence offenses committed indian pub stat codified tribal courts exercise jurisdiction requires procedural safeguards similar required imposing indian defendants sentences excess one year including unqualified right indigent defendant appointed counsel see express view validity provisions congress since expanded definition felony assault include ssault resulting substantial bodily injury spouse intimate partner dating partner ssault spouse intimate partner dating partner strangling suffocating attempting strangle suffocate violence women reauthorization act stat codified substantial bodily injury requirement remains difficult satisfy requires temporary substantial disfigurement temporary substantial loss impairment function bodily member organ mental faculty section since amended include qualifying predicate offenses addition crimes assault sexual abuse serious violent felony offenses committed child care person committing domestic assault supp ii ant ninth circuit proscribed use uncounseled guilty plea evidence guilt subsequent federal prosecution arising incident use plea impermissible appeals reasoned tribal guilty plea made circumstances violated constitution applicable tribal proceedings true bryant points based decision nichols part less exacting nature sentencing compared heightened burden proof required determining guilt describing rule adopted said encompasses criminal history provisions applicable sentencing recidivist statutes one ibid moreover nichols two primary rationales validity prior conviction sentence punishment last offense rely distinction guilt adjudication sentencing indeed validity prior conviction distinguishes nichols tucker found impermissible use sentencing invalid uncounseled prior conviction