Children of the Chippewa, Ottawa & Potawatomy Tribes v. Regents of the University of Michigan

On September 29, 1817, the Treaty of Fort Meigs, 7 Stat 160, was executed. The Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomy Indian Tribes were signatories of the first part and the government of the United States of America was the signatory of the second part. The treaty was drafted entirely by the representative of the United States. The defendant at bar was not a party to the treaty.

Notwithstanding this latter fact, the plaintiffs, who are descendants of the members of the signatory Indian tribes, brought an action in equity before the Circuit Court of Washtenaw County seeking to have a trust declared…