BEFORE THE I N D I A N CLAIMS COMMISSION

T'HE YAfCIM.4 TRIBE, ) 1

P l a i n t i f f , 1 )

v. ) Docket Nos. 47 and 164 1 Consolidated

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) 1

Defendant. 1

FIhQINGS OF FACT ON AWARD OF ATTORNEY FEE

-. On August 1, 1969 Paul M. Niebe l l , counsel f o r t he p l a i n t i f f , t h e

1

Yakima Tr ibe of Indians of t h e S t a t e of Washington, f i l e d h e r e i n an

a p p l i c a t i o n f o r allowance of a t t o rney f e e o u t l i n i n g i n d e t a i l t h e l e g a l

s e r v i c e s performed i n successfu l ly prosecut ing t h e claims i n t h e above

dockets . Copies of s a i d app l i ca t ion were forwarded t o t h e Department

of J u s t i c e , t h e Department of t he I n t e r i o r , and t o t h e Yakima Tr ibe ,

and t h e r e p l i e s therefrom have been received and given cons idera t ion .

No c l a im i s made h e r e i n f o r reimbursable expenses s i n c e t h e s e have

been s u b s t a n t i a l l y reimbursed t o counsel from Yakima t r i b a l funds

du r ing t h e p r o g r e s s of the l i t i g a t i o n .

T h e r e f o r e , t h e Commission, having considered the e n t i r e record ,

makes t h e fo l lowing f ind ings of f a c t genera l ly o u t l i n i n g t h e l e g a l

s e r v i c e s rendered by counsel, and the r e s u l t s obtained f o r t h e Yakima

Tr ibe :

21 Ind. C1. Conmi. 424 425

1. The se rv i ces of counsel i n t h e Yakima boundary case , Docket

NO. 4 7 , began i n June 1938 and continued u n t i l t h e a p p r o p r i a t i o n i n

payment of t he f i n a l judgment rendered h e r e i n of $2,100,000.00 w a s

made by Congress i n t h e Second Supplemental Appropriat ion Act of

July 22, 1969, 83 S t a t . 49, 62, and t o da t e of t h e f i l i n g of t h e

a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a t t o rney f e e , and covgred a per iod of 31 y e a r s .

2. Counsel was employed by the Yakima Tr ibe t o perform t h e

s e r v i c e s h e r e i n rendered under t h r e e s e p a r a t e con t r ac t s : (a) a formal

assignment, dated February 8 , 1939, of an i n t e r e s t i n an a t t o r n e y

c o n t r a c t , dated A p r i l 6 , 1938, approved by t h e Department of t h e

n I n t e r i o r on Ju ly 27, 1938; (b) a con t r ac t , dated J u l y 20, 1948, and

L duly approved by t h e Department of t h e I n t e r i o r on February 1 4 , 1949; -- .

and ( c ) a contract , da ted December 10 , 1958, approved by t h e Department

of t h e I n t e r i o r on A p r i l 16, 1959, and an ex tens ion of s a i d c o n t r a c t

f o r a pe r iod of two yea r s beginning February 14 , 1969 and approved on

March 28, 1969. Tie t h r e e s e v e r a l c o n t r a c t s were f o r p e r i o d s of 10

y e a r s d u r a t i o n , and contained t h e usua l p rov i s ions t h a t t h e recovery

of f e e s and expenses were wholly cont ingent upon recovery on t h e

c l a ims , and were l imi t ed n o t t o exceed 10 pe r cen t of t h e amount of

recovery . Thereunder, counsel was requi red t o i n v e s t i g a t e , p r e p a r e

and p rosecu te the claims of t he Yakima Tribe through t h e Cour t s of

las t r e s o r t , un less au thor ized by the Commissioner of Ind ian A f f a i r s

t o t e rmina te the l i t i g a t i o n a t an in te rmedia te s t a g e ; and the reunde r

counse l could not compromise a claim without t he consent of t h e Yakima

Tr ibe and t h e Commissioner of Indian A f f a i r s .

21 Ind. C l . Comm, 424 426

3. Congress passed the Indian Claims Commission Act of August 13 ,

1946, 60 S t a t . 1049, and provided t h e r e i n a broad forum f o r t h e

ad jud ica t ion of Indian t r i b a l c laims cases , i nc lud ing those of t h e

Yakima Tr ibe . The l e g a l s e r v i c e s performed by counsel b e f o r e t h e

Commission and t h e United S t a t e s Court of C l a i m s i n t h e Yakima

boundary case , Docket No. 47, began w i t h the p r e p a r a t i o n and f i l i n g

of t h e p e t i t i o n wi th t h e Commission on June 2 1 , 1949. This p e t i t i o n

cons i s t ed of 16 p r i n t e d pages, 2nd an e x h i b i t prepared by counse l i n

t h e form of a map s e t t i n g f o r t h t h e Yakima Reserva t ion boundar ies and

t h e claimed a d d i t i o n s t o s a i d boundaries . The p e t i t i o n embodied f i v e

. s e p a r a t e claims f o r j u s t compensation: (a ) f o r T rac t A a long t h e

. ~. -: . e a s t e r n boundary of t h e Yakima Reserva t ion; (b) f o r T rac t B a long t h e

western boundary; (c) f o r T rac t C a long the no r the rn boundary; (d) f o r

T rac t D a long t h e southwestern boundary; and (e ) f o r l ands e r rone-

ous ly pa t en ted t o wh i t e s e t t l e r s i n t h e Cedar Val ley a r e a w i t h i n t h e

southern boundary confirmed t o s e t t l e r s under t he Act of December 21,

1904, 33 S t a t . 595, wi thout compensation t o t h e Yakima Tr ibe . The

l i t i g a t i o n t h e r e a f t e r continued u n t i l f i n a l l y s e t t l e d by s t i p u l a t i o n

of t h e p a r t i e s , approved by t h e Commission on November 14, 1968, a

pe r iod of some 19 years of l i t i g a t i o n .

4 . E a r l i e r counsel had sponsored and secured an a p p r o p r i a t i o n

of $4,000.00 of Yakima t r i b a l funds i n the Act of May 10, 1939,

53 S t a t . 685, 696, t o pay the expenses of an i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h e

(- ' d i spu ted boundary p o i n t s of t he Yakima Reservat ion. Through t h e e f f o r t s

of counsel two c i v i l engineers were secured t o make t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n :

2 1 Ind . C1. Conxn. 424 427

E. D. Ca lv in , Cadas t r a l Engineer of t he General Land O f f i c e , and

Ward P. Webber, an Engineer of the National Park Se rv i ce , whose

r e p o r t s , p l a i n t i f f ' s e x h i b i t s 5 and 46, form a p a r t of t h e record i n

t h i s ca se . With the a i d of t hese r e p o r t s and t h e p r i o r r e sea rch of

counse l i n t he f i l e s of t h e I n t e r i o r Department and i ts Bureau of

Ind ian A f f a i r s and a l s o i n t h e records of t h e General Land O f f i c e

and t h e Nat iona l Archives, counsel formulated the claims presented i n

t h e p e t i t i o n i n Docket No. 47.

5. The defendant ' s answer, f i l e d wi th t h e Commission on

February 1 7 , 1950, was i n t h e form of a gene ra l d e n i a l of l i a b i l i t y -

of t h e defendant and pleaded r e s Judica ta i n view of p r i o r l i t i g a t i o n - . . .- = i n Nor thern P a c i f i c Railway Conpany v. United S t a t e s , 227 U. S. 355

(1913) and o f f s e t c laims. The answer put i n i s s u e a l l of t h e c la ims

p re sen ted i n t h e p e t i t i o n and requi red counsel f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f t o

assume t h e f u l l burden of proof of s a i d claims.

6. The. l i t i g a t i o n of t hese claims involved d i f f i c u l t , complicated

and n o v e l i s s u e s of f a c t and law r e l a t i v e t o t h e boundaries o f t h e

Yakima Rese rva t ion a s def ined i n t h e Yakima Treaty of June 9 , 1855 and

r e q u i r e d t h e s e r v i c e s of counsel experienced and seasoned i n t h e pros-

e c u t i o n of l a r g e and complicated Indian claims l i t i g a t i o n . Counsel

n e c e s s a r i l y had t o f a n i l i a r i z e himself with t h e tenas of t h e Yakima

T r e a t y of June 9 , 1855 and i t s h i s t o r y . The d i f f i c u l t i e s a r o s e

because t h e d e s c r i p t i o n of the Yakima Reservat ion boundaries a s d e f i n e d

i n t h e Yakima Treaty by n a t u r a l o b j e c t s d id not f i t t h e n a t u r a l

o b j e c t s on t h e ground, and the i n t e n t of t he t r e a t y p a r t i e s had t o be

21 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 424

determined from the contemporaneous d a t a . The r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t h u s

undertaken by cow,;el requi red v e r s a t i l e s k i l l s and r equ i r ed t h e

s e r v i c e s of counsel who knew how t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e t r i b a l r e l a t i o n s

between t h e Yakima Tr ibe and t h e United S t a t e s , and where t o o b t a i n

t h e source ma te r i a l ,

7 . The research i n t h i s ca se made by counsel was done i n t h e

records of t he National Archives, t h e Old Indian Of f i ce r e c o r d s , t h e

L e g i s l a t i v e , War and S t a t e Department f i l e s , t h e Execut ive Documents

of Congress, t h e records of t h e General Land Off ice , now des igna ted

t h e Bureau of Land Management, t h e r eco rds of t h e Yakirna I n d i a n Agency, ,- --.

and t h e p r i n t e d annual r e p o r t s of t h e Commissioner of Ind ian A f f a i r s -. .< -. from 1850 through 1914. The e x t r a c t s theref rom t o t a l e d 970 pages ,

p l a i n t i f f ' s e x h i b i t s 98a and 98b. The f i e l d no te s and p l a t s of t h e

v a r i o u s surveys and boundary maps were found i n t he records of t h e

General Land Off ice and i n t h e Cartographic ' Sec t ion of t h e N a t i o n a l

Archives. A s a r e s u l t of t h i s e x t e n s i v e r e sea rch of many documents,

counsel s e l e c t e d and secured cop ie s of t h e important documents, r e c o r d s

and maps which were introduced i n evidence i n t h i s case i n s u p p o r t o f

t h e p l a i n t i f f ' s claims.

8. Counsel a l s o s tud ied t h e record i n t h e decided cases r e l a t i n g

t o t h e Yakima Tribe end the boundary i s s u e s , and p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e

r eco rd and t h e severa l dec i s ions i n United S t a t e s v. Northern P a c i f i c

(-- Railway Company, 191 Fed. 947, a f f i rmed i n 227 U. S. 355, d e a l i n g w i t h

t h e boundar ies of the Yakima Rese rva t ion , and which played an impor t an t

21 Ind . C1. Comm. 424 429

p a r t i n t h e de te rmina t ions and u l t i m a t e conclus ions i n t h i s ca se on

t h e i s s u e of - r e s j v d i c e t a r a i s e d by t h e defendant ' s answer.

~ ,.

9 . - I n prepar ing t h e boundary c la ims f o r t r i a l , counse l , wh i l e

o n . s e v e r a 1 t r i p s t o t h e Yakima Reserva t ion i n t h e S t a t e o f Washington,

v i s i t e d t h e a r e a s a long t h e r e s e r v a t i o n boundaries i n d i s p u t e and

f a m i l i a r i z e d himself w i th t h e topography and t h e n a t u r a l o b j e c t s on

t h e ground.

10. I n p rosecu t ing t h e claims i n Docket KO. 47 counse l a r ranged

and prepared f o r n i n e s e p a r a t e hea r ings be fo re t h e Commission which

a r e s e t f o r t h a s fol lows: A t Yakima, Washington, on August 21-23, ,---

= 1950 ; . s tWash ing ton , D. C . on A p r i l 23-24, 1951; at Washington, D. C . ,

- ... on October 1, 1951; a t Yakima, Washington, on August 17 , 1953; a t

S e a t t l e , Washington, on August 23-24, 1954; a t Washington, D. C . , on

September 1 7 , 1964; a t Washington, D. C . , on June 15 , 1965; a t

Washington, D. C . , on June 8, 1967; and a t Washington, D. C., on

October 16 , 1968, t h e l a s t be ing on t h e compromise settlement.

11. I n Docket No. 47 counse l f o r t h e plaintiff re sea rched and

had reproduced and in t roduced i n t o t h e record of s a i d case a t o t a l o f

109 s e p a r a t e e x h i b i t s on behal f of t h e p l a i n t i f f . Counsel f o r t h e

defendant in t roduced i n t o t h e record a t o t a l of 117 e x h i b i t s on

b e h a l f of t h e defendant , which counsel f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f w a s r e q u i r e d

t o s t u d y and analyze. Counsel f o r both p a r t i e s f i l e d i n t h e r eco rd

r' 1 3 j o i n t e x h i b i t s on t h e compromise s e t t l e m e n t which f i n a l l y d i sposed

of t h i s c a s e and Docket No. 164. Counsel f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f s ecu red

and p r e s e n t e d the r e p o r t s and/or testimony of fou r e x p e r t w i t n e s s e s

21 Ind. C1. Comm. 424

on l i a b i l i t y and va lue , four c i v i l engineers , and two e x p e r t f o r e s t e r s .

The defendant ' s counsel presented t h e testimony c f f o u r e x p e r t

w i tnes ses , two c i v i l engineers , one f o r e s t e r , and one e x p e r t a p p r a i s e r ,

who submit ted an a p p r a i s a l r epo r t of 162 pages and a map. The p l a i n t i f f ' s

counsel prepared f o r and cross-examined t h e defendant ' s e x p e r t w i t n e s s e s

and s t u d i e d and analyzed the a p p r a i s a l r e p o r t o f t h e defendant ' s

a p p r a i s e r i n prepar ing t o cross-examine s a i d a p p r a i s e r . The p l a i n t i f f ' s

counsel a l s o presented seven o the r wi tnesses i n suppor t of t h e p l a i n t i f f ' s

c la ims , and t h e defendant presented fou r o t h e r w i tnes ses on beha l f o f

t h e defendant . The t r a n s c r i p t s of testimony of t h e hea r ings be fo re /-- -

t h e Commission cover 1,009 pages. The p l a i n t i f f ' s counse l a l s o prepared \,

- . two l a r g e i n i t i a l b r i e f s and two involved r e p l y b r i e f s . The d e f e n d a n t ' s

counsel prepared and presented two l a r g e p r i n t e d b r i e f s , which t h e

p l a i n t i f f ' s counsel had t o s tudy , analyze, r e sea rch and ana lyze t h e

c i t a t i o n s t h e r e i n , i n preparing the p l a i n t i f f ' s r ep ly b r i e f s .

, 12. The s e r v i c e s of counsel h e r e i n inc luded a s tudy and a n a l y s i s

and r e p l y t o t h e defendant 's amended answer, f i l e d h e r e i n on January 26,

1954, c la iming o f f s e t s aga ins t t h e p l a i n t i f f i n t h e t o t a l amount o f

$1,394,962.92, an ana lys i s of a suppor t ing General Accounting Off i c e

r e p o r t da t ed October 30, 1951 of 186 pages of f a c t s and f i g u r e s , a

s tudy and a n a l y s i s and rep ly t o t h e defendant ' s second amended answer,

f i l e d h e r e i n on October 30, 1957, i nc reas ing t h e defendant ' s o f f s e t

.. claims t o $1,458,576.38, and an a n a l y s i s of a suppor t ing General (- : Accounting O f f i c e r epo r t dated March 28, 1957 c o n s i s t i n g of 461 pages

of f a c t s and f i g u r e s .

2 1 Ind. C1. Comm. 424 431

13. Throughout the l i t i g a t i o n the defendant was r ep re sen ted by

a b l e and s k i l l f u l counsel who f o r c i b l y p re sen ted the con ten t ions of

t h e defendant .

14. The se t t l emen t of t he complicated ques t ions of f a c t and l a w

involved i n t h i s case r equ i r ed t h e fo l lowing dec i s ions of t h e

Commission: ( a ) 2 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 433-460 (1953); (b) 2 Ind. C 1 . Comm.

481-499 (1953); (c ) 5 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 636-679 (1957); (d) 1 5 Ind. C 1 .

Corn. 456 (1965); (e) 16 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 536 (1966); ( f ) 1 8 Ind . C 1 .

Corn.. 426 (1967); and (g) 20 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 76 (1968); and a l s o t h e

p rosecu t ion of an appeal t o t he United S t a t e s Court of C l a i m s

( 2 . r e e u l t i n g i n t h e dec i s ion of t h a t Court on October 3, 1962, 158 Cr . . -

C l . 672.

15. Counsel i n t h e e x e r c i s e of h i s judgment and expe r i ence

decided t o prosecute an appea l t o t h e United S t a t e s Court of C l a i m s

from t h e dec i s ions of t h e Commission on l i a b i l i t y and va lue , which

s e r v i c e s covered the per iod from December 30, 1960 t o October 3 , 1962.

Counsel prepared and f i l e d a n o t i c e of appea l of some 23 t y p e w r i t t e n

pages, l i s t i n g 102 i s s u e s of f a c t and law, and prepared and f i l e d i n

t h e United S t a t e s Court of Claims an ex tens ive b r i e f of 274 p r i n t e d

pages r a i s i n g i s s u e s of l i a b i l i t y and va lue . I n t h i s b r i e f counse l

ana lyzed t h e dec is ion of Northern P a c i f i c Railway Company v . Uni ted

S t a t e s , 227 U. S. 355, 57 L. ~d 5 4 4 , 112 C. C . A. 359, 191 F. 947, t h e

p r i n c i p a l of r e s j u d f c a t a he ld by t h e Commission t o apply t o T r a c t s B - and D , and t h e i s s u e s of f a c t and law r a i s e d i n t he Government's

e x t e n s i v e b r i e f of 1 2 7 pr in t ed pages. Counsel a l s o researched t h e

21 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 424 432

59 cour t dec i s ions and o t h e r c i t a t i o n s contained i n s a i d b r i e f and

prepared and f i l e d a rep ly b r i e f of 40 p r in t ed pages. I n a d d i t i o n ,

counsel prepared f o r and argued t h e i s s u e s o r a l l y before t h e United

S t a t e s Court of Claims. I n s a i d appea l proceedings counse l convinced

t h e United S t a t e s Court of Claims t h a t t he Northern P a c i f i c Railway

Company case was no t r e s j u d i c a t a of T rac t s B and D, and t h e Cour t ' s - d e c i s i o n of October 3, 1962, 158 C t . C 1 . 672, covering 25 p r i n t e d pages ,

a f f i rmed t h e Commission's dec i s ion on Trac ts A , C and t h e Cedar Val ley

a r e a , and reversed and remanded t h e case t o t h e Commission f o r f u r t h e r

proceedings on Trac t s B and D. By s a i d appeal counsel preserved t o

-'. . t h e p l a i n t i f f the l a r g e s t c laim of t h e p l a i n t i f f t o t h e T r a c t D area,

4 which l e d t o t h e u l t ima te recovery i n Docket No. 47. \ -

1 The proceedings be fo re t h e Commission on t h e remand of t h e *

case covered t h e per iod from October 3, 1962 t o June 19, 1967 and

involved an a n a l y s i s by counsel of some 34 a d d i t i o n a l e x h i b i t s f i l e d

by t h e defendent , t he s ecu r ing and p re sen ta t ion of seven a d d i t i o n a l

e x h i b i t s on behal f of t h e p l a i n t i f f , t h r e e hear ings be fo re t h e

Commission, t h e p repa ra t ion and f i l i n g of an ex tens ive i n i t i a l b r i e f

on beha l f of t h e p l a i n t i f f p re sen t ing involved i s s u e s o f f a c t and l a w

r e l a t i v e t o t h e Trac t B and D c la ims , analyzing and answering t h e

e x t e n s i v e b r i e f of the defendant of 70 pages of p r in t ed m a t e r i a l , and

t h e f i l i n g of a l a r g e r ep ly b r i e f on behalf of t h e p l a i n t i f f . These

e f f o r t s of counsel r e s u l t e d i n the ~ormnission 's f ind ings of f a c t ,

op in ion and inter1,ocutory o rde r of February 25, 1966 (16 Ind. C1.

Corn. 536), upholding the claim t o Tract D o f 121,465.69

a c r e s , and denying the p l a i n t i f f ' s c laim t o Trac t B.

21 Ind . C1. Comm. 424

17. The work of counsel i n consummating t h e compromise s e t t l e m e n t

of Docket Nos. 47 and 164 claims covered a per iod from June 1967 t o

November 14 , 1968 and requi red t h r e e t r i p s t o t h e Yakima Ind ian

Reserva t ion f o r a t tendance a t counci l s of t h e Indians t o e x p l a i n s a i d

proposed se t t l emen t and t o s ecu re t h e i r consent t o t he amount agree2

upon, t h e p repa ra t ion of a s t i p u l a t i o n embodying t h e terms of s e t t l e -

ment, t h e p repa ra t ion of a j o i n t motion r eques t ing t h e Commission's

approval of s a i d s e t t l e m e n t , secur ing the consent of t h e Commissioner

of Ind ian A f f a i r s t o s a i d s e t t l e m e n t , p re sen t ing s a i d s e t t l e m e n t t o

t h e Commission a t a hear ing on November 14, 1968, and t h e r e i n

- p r e s e n t i n g f i v e members of t h e Yakima Tr ibe who t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e

\ . t e r m s o f s a i d s e t t l emen t were f u l l y explained t o and approved by t h e

Yakima Tr ibe i n gene ra l counc i l , and the p repa ra t ion of r eques t ed

f i n d i n g s of f a c t and an o rde r f o r cons ide ra t ion and adopt ion by t h e

Commission i n approving s a i d se t t l emen t . The work a l s o inc luded t h e

p repa ra f ion and p r e s e n t a t i o n t o t he Commission of 1 3 j o i n t e x h i b i t s

of t h e p a r t i e s r e l a t i v e t o s a i d compromise se t t l emen t . The s t i p u l a -

t i o n of s e t t l e m e n t was unique i n t h a t 2,548.06 a c r e s of vacant and

unpaten ted lands of Trac t D were re turned t o t h e Yakima Tr ibe i n k i n d ,

and 21,008.66 ac re s of Trac t D lands included wi th in t h e G i f f o r d

P inchot Na t iona l Fores t were t o be s e t up i n a s e p a r a t e p e t i t i o n t o

pe rmi t t h e Yakima Tr ibe and counsel t o seek r e s t i t u t i o n t o t h e Yakima

Rese rva t ion of t hese lands. These mat te rs were provided i n a d d i t i o n - -..

( ' t o t h e payment of $2,100,000.00 f o r 97,908.97 ac re s of T r a c t D l ands

which had been patented t o white s e t t l e r s , t he Cedar Val ley l a n d s ,

21 Ind. ' ~ 1 . Comm. 424 434

and f o r t h e claim embodied i n Docket No. 164. The Commission approved

s a i d s e t t l e m e n t on November 1 4 , 1968 and e n t e r e d i t s f i n a l judgment

h e r e i n i n favor of the Yakima Tr ibe i n t h e amount of $2,100,000.00

(20 Ind . C 1 . Comm. 76). T h e r e a f t e r , counse l followed t h e course of

t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h i s judgment t o Congress, and i n t h e Second

Supplemental Appropriation Act of J u l y 22, 1969, 8 3 - S t a t . 49, t h e

amount o f $2,100,000.00 was appropr i a t ed i n payment of s a i d judgment.

18. Docket No. 164 c la im inc luded i n t h e compromise s e t t l e m e n t

involved a c la im developed by counsel on beha l f of t he p l a i n t i f f f o r

t h e v a l u e of lands of t h e Yakima Rese rva t ion a l l o t t e d t o persons *

e r roneous ly en ro l l ed by t h e defendant ' s e n r o l l i n g o f f i c e r s on t h e

- - ' Yakima t r i b a l a l lo tment r o l l s . This c l a im was discovered and developed

by counse l through research i n t h e r eco rds of t h e Yakima Indian Agency,

Toppenish, Washington, dur ing an extended t r i p t o t h e Yakima

Rese rva t ion . Some 411 persons were found t o be thus e r roneous ly

e n r o l l e d , who had received an a l lo tmen t of Yakima lands of approxi-

mate ly 80 a c r e s each. Severa l motions were made i n t h i s c a s e by t h e

de fendan t , and one s h o r t hea r ing was h e l d . The p e t i t i o n was p repa red

and f i l e d by counsel on behalf of t h e p l a i n t i f f on J u l y 24, 1951, and

t h e s e r v i c e s o f counsel i n t h i s case covered a per iod from t h a t d a t e

u n t i l conso l ida t ed with ~ o c k e t No. 47 and included i n t h e compromise

s e t t l e m e n t approved on Kovember 1 4 , 1968 (20 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 76) .

19. The compromise se t t l emen t saved much l i t i g a t i o n on t h e v a l u e

of t h e T r a c t D lands i n Docket No. 47 and l i t i g a t i o n of t h e i s s u e s o f

l i a b i l i t y and value of t he lands i n Docket No. 164, a long wi th t h e

-. 21 Ind. C1. Comm. 424

commensurate expenses of s a i d l i t i g a t i o n . The se t t l emen t a l s o

pe rmi t t ed the Yakima Tr ibe t o s ecu re e n t r y of t h e f i n a l judginent and

payment t h e r e o f , and accrued i n t e r e s t thereon , a t a much e a r l i e r d a t e

than i f t h e l i t i g a t i o n had cont inued on the above i s s u e s .

20. I n t h e performance of h i s d u t i e s , counsel made n i n e extended

t r i p s t o t h e Yakima Ind ian Reserva t ion i n t h e S t a t e of Washington

d u r i n g t h e per iod 1948 .t& 1968 covering a t o t a l of 274 days. Counsel

a l s o made numerous long-dis tance and l o c a l telephone c a l l s , p repared

and answered many motions f i l e d be fo re t he Comiss ion , and i n working

o u t t h e compromise s e t t l e m e n t , arranged and prepared f o r 44 conferences

/--- . between counse l and o t h e r concerned p a r t i e s . Counsel a l s o made annual

'. - . r e p o r t s t o t h e Yakima Tr ibe on t h e p rog res s of t h e l i t i g a t i o n of t h e

Yakima c l a ims , These r e p o r t s were e i t h e r i n w r i t t e n form o r g iven

o r a l l y by counse l wh i l e i n a t tendance a t t h e Yakima gene ra l c o u n c i l

and Yakima T r i b a l Council meetings.

21. I n response t o t h e c omission's reques t f o r comments on t h e

a p p l i c a t i o n of counsel f i l e d h e r e i n , t h e Assoc ia te S o l i c i t o r , I n d i a n

A f f a i r s , United S t a t e s Department of t h e I n t e r i o r , on August 21, 1969

forwarded a communication t o A s s i s t a n t Attorney General , Honorable

S h i r o Kashiwa enc los ing a memorandum of t h e Acting Deputy C o m i s s i o n e r

o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s t o t he S o l i c i t o r da ted August 15 , 1966 confirming

t h e d a t e s o f t h e s e v e r a l c o n t r a c t s between the Yakima Tr ibe and

At to rney Pau l M. R i e b e l l and s t a t i n g t h a t t h a t o f f i c e d i d "not have c' s u f f i c i e n t d e t a i l e d information t o make a recommendation a s t o t h e

amount of compensation earned". The Associate S o l i c i t o r confirmed

2 1 fnd. C 1 . Comm. 424 436

t h i s view of the Commissioner's Of f i ce . On August 28, 1969 counse l

f o r t he defendant responded t o the p e t i t i o n f o r t he al lowance of

a t t o rney f e e , t r ansmi t t i ng the communications of t h e Department of

t h e I n t e r i o r , and s t a t i n g t h a t "defendant i n t e r p o s e s no o b j e c t i o n t o

t h e allowance of a t t o r n e y ' s fee i n t h e sum of $210,000".

22. I n response t o t h e omm mission's r eques t f o r comments on t h e

s a i d a p p l i c a t i o n s e n t t o t he Yakima Tr ibe , Toppenish, Washington, t h e

Yakima T r i b a l Council advised the Commission t h a t on September 22,

1969 t h e Yakima T r i b a l Council unanimously approved t h e a p p l i c a t i o n

f o r allowance of a t torney f e e of s a i d Paul M. N iebe l l i n s a i d Docket

,--- : Nos. 47 and 164.

L. 23. Counsel f o r t he p l a i n t i f f h e r e i n , Paul M. Niebe l l , is a

recognized expe r t i n t h e spec i a l i zed f i e l d of Indian c la ims l i t i g a t i o n

(17 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 439, 440-441). The s e r v i c e s of counse l covered a l l

phases of Indian claims l i t i g a t i o n : l i t i g a t i o n be fo re t h e Ind ian Claims

Commission on ques t ions of l i a b i l i t y and a l s o on va lue , a s u c c e s s f u l

appeal t o t h e United S t a t e s Court of Claims, and a compromise s e t t l e -

ment on t h e va lue of c e r t a i n of t h e acreage involved h e r e i n . Based

upon t h e e n t i r e record i n t he above cases , t h e d i f f i c u l t problems pre-

s en ted i n t h i s l i t i g a t i o n , t he cont ingent n a t u r e of t h e compensation,

t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y undertaken by counsel and the r i s k s assumed by

counsel over a per iod of 31 yea r s , and t h e o t h e r f a c t o r s t o be con-

s i d e r e d i n t h e determination of a t t o rney f e e s i n cont ingent f e e ca ses

under t h e Ind ian Claims Commission Act, and t h e decided cases r e l a t i v e

t h e r e t o , t h e Commission f i n d s t h a t the l e g a l s e r v i c e s performed by

21 Ind . C1. Comm. 424 437

counse l i n t h e above-ent i t led dockets w e r e f a i t h f u l l y and s k i l l f u l l y

performed and r e s u l t e d i n l a r g e b e n e f i t s t o t h e Yakina Tr ibe and f o r

such s e r v i c e s counsel i s reasonably e n t i t l e d t o 10 pe rcen t of t h e

f i n a l judgment of $2,100,000.00 en te red i n t h e s e c a s e s , o r an a t t o r n e y

f e e of $210,000.00

3 ~~/u a- ce , Commissioner

t P 42 4t&p4k4&

Richard W. Yarbor@gh, Comrnissjtoner

e r c e ,. C o m i s s i o n e r

Brant ley Blue, Commissioner