Automotive United Trades Organization v. State

¶1 The plaintiff brought suit against Washington State and its officials, challenging the consti*220tutionality of disbursements the State gives to Indian tribes under fuel tax compacts. The trial court dismissed the amended complaint for failure to join indispensable parties — namely, the Indian tribes party to the agreements— under CR 19. We reverse.

¶2 We hold the tribes are not indispensable parties under CR 19(b). Although the tribes are necessary parties under CR 19(a) whose joinder is not feasible due to tribal sovereign immunity, equitable considerations allow this action to proceed in…