The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to hear a case involving attempts by the state of Hawai'i to sell portions of ceded lands on Maui and the Big Island to private, residential developers.

The state attempted to sell the land in the mid-1990 but was sued by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and several individuals who sought to block the sale.

In December 2002, a state court ruled in favor of the state, saying it could sell the lands in question.

That ruling was appealed, and in January of this year, the Hawaii Supreme Court overturned the earlier ruling, and the case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ceded lands are former crown lands that were deeded over to the United States when Hawai'i was annexed as a U.S. territory in 1898. Under an agreement signed at that time, revenues generated from ceded lands were to be used for the betterment of Native Hawaiians.

Today's announcement by the Supreme Court did not indicate how soon the court will hear the matter.