Williams v. Lee

358 U.S. 217 (1959)

Facts

Lee (P) who is not an Indian, operates a general store in Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation under a license required by federal statute. P sued Willams (D) in the Superior Court of Arizona. D, a Navajo Indian, and his wife live on the Reservation. P wanted to collect for goods sold them there on credit. D moved to dismiss on the ground that jurisdiction lay in the tribal court rather than in the state court, judgment was entered in favor of P. The Supreme Court of Arizona affirmed.