Warren Trading Post Co. v. Arizona State Tax Commission

United States Supreme Court

380 U.S. 685 (1965)

Relevant factsFree

Warren Trading Post (plaintiff) held a federal license from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to trade on the Navajo reservation in Arizona (defendant), which levied a 2 percent tax on its gross income earned there; the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the tax, and Warren Trading Post sought Supreme Court review, arguing federal law preempted the state's authority to impose it.

IssueFree

Whether federal law preempts state law in matters of trade with Indians on reservations.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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