Predatory Lending Against Tribal Land
Legal battle initiates to annul a property deed used as predatory collateral for a small cash loan.
Williamson & Williamson, attorneys for Jacky Smokalem, have commenced suit against W. P. Sundberg and wife to have a deed annulled which was given by Smokalem as guaranty for a loan of $120 made by Sundberg to the Indian. The attorneys state that the ten acres for which the deed was given are worth $750 at least. They will attempt to have Sundberg's claim construed as a mortgage on the ground that the deed was given under a misapprehension and only as a guarantee of good faith.
“They will attempt to have Sundberg's claim construed as a mortgage on the ground that the deed was given under a misapprehension.”
The exploitation of Indigenous land through predatory lending practices remains a significant theme in Washington history. This case reflects the ongoing struggle for land rights and protection against financial coercion that continues to shape legal advocacy in the region.
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