Deal v. Blatchford

OPINION AND ORDER

BACKGROUND OF THE CASE

On October 10, 1979 Claire Ann Blatchford was stopped at a stop sign on Eighth Street in Fort Defiance preparing to enter Route 7. While she was stopped, Christopher Deal came along a walk area parallel on Route 7 and hit the passenger door of the Blatchford vehicle. Deal was driving a Honda motorcycle.

At the time of the incident Christopher Deal was 15 years of age, and the suit in the Window Rock District Court named both Christopher and his father, Dr. Charles Deal, as defendant. The Deals are not Indian.

This appeal involves three basic questions:

1)…