WY Corner-Crossing: Next Stop D.C.?

If you have been following the now-famous corner crossing case through our blog or other news outlets reporting on the case, it will be no surprise that the defense has filed a petition to move this to federal court. The petition filed makes the case that because the incident happened in Wyoming, involves federal land access, has nonresident defendants and the landowner involved is from the east coast, the case and its moving parts belong in federal court. 

As part of this petition, the defendants have asked for a trial by jury. The trial would likely revolve around the Unlawful Inclosures Act of 1885 which was designed to allow the public to have access to federal land. 

So what does this mean for all of us wondering if there will be a clear answer on whether or not corner crossing is legal? Well the outcome of this case has the potential to give access to 1.6 million acres of public land that has been previously tough at best to recreate on and impossible at worst. Most of this land is part of the checkerboard landscape that passed from the federal government to the different railroad companies during westward expansion. Mobile mapping tools have accelerated the public’s interest in using these lands due to their high visibility of them on maps and then the ease of which people can find the corners to cross from one section to another.

On the other end of the spectrum, a ruling could come in where access remains murky and not much is resolved. Personally, I am hoping for a clear cut answer to this question as I have seen it argued about regularly on hunting forums for years.

So the question then is, what do you think? Will this case make it to trial? 

If you haven’t been following the case, you can find other articles written by our team covering the subject here: 

https://blog.eastmans.com/corner-hoppers-face-civil-suit/

https://blog.eastmans.com/wyo-lawmakers-double-down-on-corner-hopping/

https://blog.eastmans.com/wyoming-corner-hopping-turns-into-hunter-harassment/

https://blog.eastmans.com/corner-crossing-conundrum-in-wyoming/

For the latest detailed article on this case read here:

https://wyofile.com/corner-crossers-reach-for-federal-court-access-to-1-6m-western-acres/

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