NATIVE title is dead. That was the assessment of ATSIC chairman Geoff Clark and other Aboriginal leaders after one of the nation's longest running and most expensive test cases ended yesterday in tears, anger and recrimination.

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A term I had not heard before, so had to look around a bit: Yesterday's decision draws on black-letter law, but also echoes the warning of Judge Gerard Brennan in the High Court's Mabo decision 10 years ago that native title claims needed to be strong enough to resist the "tide of history".Black Letter Law - The principles of law that are generally known and free from doubt or dispute.

:m: Peace.