Investor Presentaiton
H
PUYALLUP TRIBE V. DEPARTMENT OF
GAME OF WASHINGTON (PUYALLUP I)
(1968 - US SUPREME COURT)
The Department of Game of Washington and another state department brought suits in Washington court
for declaratory relief and injunction against certain fishing by Indians of the Puyallup Tribe and the Nisqually
Tribe.
I Lower court (Superior Court of Pierce County, Washington) entered judgments adverse to the Tribes. The
Washington Supreme Court with irrelevant exceptions, affirmed in part and remanded. The Supreme Court
of the United States granted petitions for certiorari and consolidated the cases for oral argument.
"The treaty right is in terms the right to fish ‘at all usual and accustomed places.' We assume that fishing by
nets was customary at the time of the Treaty; and we also assume that there were commercial aspects to
that fishing as there are at present." 391 U.S. 392, 398.View entire presentation