UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE

The United States did not breach its fiduciary duty as trustee of Indian property by paying the Oklahoma inheritance tax assessed against the estate of decedent, a restricted Osage Indian, in reliance on West v. Oklahoma Tax Comm'n, 334 U. S. 717, which had upheld the validity of that tax as applied to the same kind of estate. Pp. 412 U. S. 394-400.

198 Ct.Cl. 599, 461 F.2d 1364, reversed.

MARSHALL, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C.J.,and BRENNAN, STEWART, WHITE, BLACKMUN, POWELL, and REHNQUIST, JJ., joined. DOUGLAS, J., concurred in the result.