Who Owns the Crown Lands of Hawai'i?

In what is depicted as "the crucial event in defining the legal status of the Crown Lands" (377) , the Court ruled that the estate was land attached to the Crown and thus should pass to the successor of the Crown, radier than being private land inheritable by the late Mo'i's widow, Queen Emma. Of similar value is the detailed evidence presented to support the idea that there has been a concerted historical push to privatize the Crown Lands; the presentation of material on the US Congressional deliberations leading up to passage of the Hawaiian Homes Act; the analysis of the 2000 Rice v. Cayetano decision of the US Supreme Court, which undermined Hawaiian aspirations for federal recognition of their land claims; and the discussion detailing the status and importance of the Akaka Bill currently before the US Congress, which, if successful, will help establish a Hawaiian Nation with a land base of ceded lands.