Expert Witness Services
HRA historians have prepared expert witness reports and have provided expert testimony on a variety of historical topics, with an emphasis on Native American and environmental issues.We have also helped attorneys with identifying, selecting, and working with experts outside of HRA.
We understand the litigation process and the expectations for expert reports and testimony. Our expert reports are impeccably researched, focused, and accessible to attorneys and judges.
HRA’s expertise includes:
- Superfund litigation
- Natural resource damage claims
- Native American issues
- Water rights
- Navigability
- Trial support
Featured Members
Featured Projects
Carten Creek Road
HRA historians researched the history of a rural road in western Montana to determine if it was ever managed and maintained as a public thoroughfare.
Freedom from Religion Foundation v. Chip Weber (Big Mountain Jesus)
HRA assisted the U.S. Forest Service in its defense against a claim brought by the Freedom from Religion Foundation that the agency’s approval of a special use permit allowing the placement of a statue of Jesus on the Whitefish Mountain Resort ski area in the early 1950s violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
Gila River Adjudication
As part of the General Streamwide Adjudication of the Gila River in Arizona, HRA conducted research pertaining to the history of the establishment of, and water use on, the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona.
U.S. v. Joseph Jackson (Red Lake Indian Reservation Diminishment)
HRA assisted the attorneys who prosecuted a criminal case involving an attempted murder within the boundaries of the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota.
The Tulalip Tribes, et al., v. the State of Washington, et al. (Quil Ceda Village Taxation)
As a part of litigation involving the taxation of business activities on Indian trust lands within the Tulalip Reservation, HRA historians researched the history of federal and tribal participation in the development of Quil Ceda Village, a tribally chartered and federally recognized municipality that formerly served as a WWII-era munitions depot and a postwar aircraft-testing area.
Thea Foss Waterway
HRA historians researched the industrial development of the Thea Foss Waterway along the waterfront in Tacoma, Washington. The research focused on the history of dredging of the waterway by private interests and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Little Colorado River Basin Adjudication, Arizona
HRA historians have worked with the Navajo Nation for nearly three decades on various aspects of the Nation’s water rights claims in the Little Colorado River (LCR) Basin in Arizona.
Litigation Support
Contaminated Sites
HRA helps clients identify companies, government agencies, and other entities that may be responsible for the cleanup of Superfund and other contaminated sites.
Native American Issues
HRA historians offer extensive expertise in Native American history and legal issues, ranging from treaty rights to jurisdictional matters.
Water Rights and Adjudications
HRA provides historical research and writing for water rights litigation and adjudications throughout the West. We help clients determine priority dates and understand complex…