As he reads the cases, Joe learns that his father did not solve the cases he thinks are important, but we ultimately discover that these cases set a precedent for the Indians in getting to handle cases against those who commit crimes on their land. He tells Joe this by stating, “These are the decisions that I and many other tribal judges try to make. Solid decisions with no scattered opinions attached. Everything we do, no matter how mundane, must be done with care. We are trying to build a solid foundation for our sovereignty here. We try to go beyond the limits of what we are allowed, to take a step beyond the limit. One day our records will be reviewed by Congress and a decision will be made on whether to expand our jurisdiction.” (229) Because of these cases, Joe was unable to see at the time how they would affect the lives of those on the reservation in the future, only that his father was not the man he thought he had.