Kathleen L. Bishop Turner (1915-1978), a member of the Snohomish Tribe, was active in Native American affairs throughout her life, following in the footsteps of her father, Senator William Bishop, who was the first Native American to serve in the Washington State Legislature. She devoted most of her live to the preservation and promotion of Native American traditions and culture. In addition to serving as a judge, Kathleen Bishop Turner served on the Snohomish tribal council for 24 years, and in 1978 co-authored the "Report on the Landless Tribes of Washington State."
In this image, Judge Kathleen Bishop stands in front of the Nisqually Tribe Community Church on the Nisqually Reservation. Bishop was the judge of the Nisqually tribal court, which held sessions in the church. Like many smaller treaty tribes in Washington, the Nisqually only established a tribal court after the Boldt decision of 1974 required them to enforce tribal fishing regulations. Judge Bishop's court only had jurisdiction over violations of tribal fishing and land use regulations, though the tribe was negotiating with the federal government to take jurisdiction over other crimes as well. Defendants in the Nisqually court could request a trial by jury, though it was often difficult to find twelve impartial jurors in the tight-knit community. Judge Bishop expressed hope that tribal courts would reduce crime on reservations, saying "Indian people respect their own courts, and they are mindful that now they stand trial before their peers."
Caption information source: "Justice on reservation dispensed Indian-style," by John O'Ryan, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 15, 1977, page D10. Caption information source: "How the Indians Say Farewell" by John O'Ryan, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 17, 1978, p. B4 Caption information source: "S'Klallam and Chemakum Indian tribes on Olympic Peninsula when Jarman settled there in 1848-52," Skagit River Journal, retrieved at http://www.skagitriverjournal.com/wa/olypen/indians1-sklallamchemakumjarman.html
