U.S. Supreme Court Rules That A Tribal Company Does Not Have To Pay Fuel-Importation Tax In Washington State

On March 19, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court held, in Washington State Department of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc., that a tax on the importation of motor fuel by ground transportation could not be applied to the Yakama Nation. While the 5-4 decision confirmed that a 1855 treaty preempted a Washington state tax, it did not yield a clear rule of law.