Beginning with Palauan perspectives and worldviews, this thesis traces the genealogy of the modern-day court system in Palau. It ends with an analysis of cases showing how the return of public lands in Palau has been largely impeded by the nature of a court system that came from a different set of interests than that of Palauans’ interests. The court system embodies ideologies in place that do not necessarily fit well with Palauan needs and interests. Many problems may be seen in the land cases analyzed in this thesis. As a result, it is argued that there is no better time than now for Palauans to reassess not only the way they choose to resolve conflicts, but also which ideology governs the way they decide to operate. / Pacific Island Studies