59 containers. (29.5 linear feet of shelf space.) (21000 items.)
Collection Number:
Cage
236
Summary:
Correspondence, case files, and legal
documents pertaining to Wicks's service as Washington State Superior Court
Judge of Okanogan and Ferry Counties from 1947 through 1960, and to his private
practice, 1930-1947 and 1961-1972. Of special interest are the materials
relating to Goldmark vs. Canwell libel case of 1963-1964, and his duties as
attorney for the Colville Confederated Tribes, 1965-1970.
Repository:
Washington State University Libraries
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special
Collections
Funding for encoding this finding
aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
Joseph Wicks was born in 1896 in Braggs, Oklahoma. Because he was
one-quarter Cherokee he was an enrollee in the Cherokee Nation. This lineage
has had much to do with Wicks' private and professional life over the course of
his career, including a proposed appointment as Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Wicks graduated from high school at Bacone College, a Baptist Mission
school in 1917. He then went into the army, serving overseas from 1917 to 1919.
Upon his return to the states he attended the University of Oklahoma during
1919 and 1920. He then left school and took a job as Deputy U.S. Marshal in
Muskogee, Oklahoma from 1921 to 1923. While attending George Washington
University Law School in Washington, D.C., from 1923 to 1926, he worked as a
clerk in the Justice Department. Although admitted to practice law in Oklahoma,
Wicks worked for the U.S. Treasury Department for a year and then as an agent
for the Federal Bureau of Investigation until 1928.
Wicks began his private practice in 1928 in Alaska but soon came to
Washington State where he settled permanently. Between 1929 and 1946, Wicks
practiced law in Seattle, Grand Coulee, and Okanogan. He was elected to the
office of Superior Court Judge in 1946, and served in this capacity for
Okanogan and Ferry Counties from 1947 through 1960. After his retirement from
the bench, Judge Wicks returned to private practice, setting up the law firm of
Wicks Thomas in Okanogan, Washington. In 1963 and 1964 Wicks served as one of
the defense attorneys in the Goldmark vs. Canwell Case. Throughout his career
Wicks had been interested in Indian Affairs, and in 1965 he agreed to represent
the Colville Confederated Tribes as tribal attorney. He remained in this
capacity until his resignation in 1970. In 1973 the Judge was again called to
the Bench to serve on a pro tempore Supreme Court dealing with the
constitutional questions of the Yelle vs. Kramer Case.
Content Description
The papers of Joseph Wicks include case files, legal documents,
correspondence, notes and printed materials related to the operation of the
Superior Court of Okanogan and Ferry Counties and his own private practice as
an attorney. The case files from the period 1947 to 1960 are of those cases
brought before Wicks while Superior Court Judge. The case files from his
private practice cover the period from 1930 to 1947 and the period from 1961 to
1972. The private practice case files are more extensive in that they also
include trial speeches, witness and juror related materials, exhibits and
evidence, and legal documents relating to business transactions such as
contracts and articles of incorporation. The second period of the Judge's
private practice, from 1961 to 1972, was dominated by the Goldmark vs. Canwell
libel case, 1963-1964, and his attorneyship for the Colville Indian Tribe. The
Goldmark case records contain extensive documentation of trial proceedings,
witness materials, and clippings. Wicks' Colville Indian materials contain
correspondence, case files, memoranda, legal documents and minutes from
business council meetings, government documents relating to Indian legislation,
and financial records. A small portion of the papers deal with Wicks'
involvement with various Republican party committees. These papers include
speeches, minutes, printed materials and election tally sheets for various
precincts. Also included in his personal papers are correspondence and legal
documents relating to civic committees such as the Okanogan Civilian Defense
Council and the Okanogan County Taxpayers Association.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available :
Restrictions on Access :
This collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation :
[Item Description]. Cage
236, Joseph Wicks
Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
The papers are arranged in three series: personal, judicial, and
private practice. These series are further divided into subject subseries. All
case files are arranged chronologically within an alphabetical sequence, except
for the files pertaining to Wicks' role as Tribal Attorney for the Colvilles,
which are arranged alphabetically. The remaining subseries and their further
divisions are each arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information :
The papers of Joseph Wicks, b. 1896, attorney and Superior Court Judge
for Okanogan and Ferry Counties from 1947 to 1960, were donated to the
Washington State University Library by Judge Wicks in 1968 and 1976.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series 1: Personal
Papers
Container(s)
Description
Subseries 1.1: Political.
, 1932-1966
National, state, local and personal election materials.
Box
1
Political, 1938
50
1
Political, 1940
60
1
Republican State Central
Committee, 1940-1946
200
2
Political File, 1944
100
2
Republican National
Convention, 1944
40
2
Statement of Election
Expenses, 1948; , 1952; , 1956
10
2
Judges personal election file
for Superior Court race., 1946
90
2
Political and Election
Data, 1947-1948
15
3
Papers re: 1952 Election of
County Commissioners, the Election Canvassing Board, and the Subsequent
Events, 1952
40
3
Judge Wicks,
election, 196
36
3
National Election, 1964.
3
3
Copies of Speeches and
Data, 1946-1967
20
3
Speeches and
Arguments, 1937-1963
38
4
Political Precincts, 1930; , 1932; , 1934
4
Abstracts of Votes, 1946
12
4
Precinct Elections, 1962; , 1964; , 1966
200
4
Precinct Elections, 1966
216
Box
4
Subseries 1.2: Civil Defense and
Selective Service., 1940-1946.
Correspondence and printed materials relative to Wicks' position
as Civilian Defense Chairman, Okanogan County Defense Council, 1941-1942, and
his work as Government Appeal Agent on the Okanogan County Local Draft
Board
Box
4
National Defense, 1941
25
4
Civilian Defense, 1941-1942
20
4
Selective Service
Correspondence, 1942-1946
70
4
Selective Service Affidavits
Requesting Release, 1943
3
4
V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign
Wars). Correspondence, printed materials, relating to V.F.W.
Affairs, 1940-1941
30
Subseries 1.3: Public Service .
, 1939-1971.
Correspondence, minutes, reports, legal documents, printed
materials, concerning Okanogan Tax Payers Association, Public Utility District,
Advisory Committee for Okanogan National Forest and Fort Okanogan Museum
Box
5
Okanogan County Tax Payers
Association Papers, 1939
55
5
Minutes of P.U.D. (Special
Meetings), 1943-1944
11
5
Minutes of P.U.D., 1944-1945
25
5
Fort Okanogan Museum
Material, 1959
24
5
Advisory Committee for the
Okanogan National Forest, 1969-1971
Court notes, jury instructions, venire lists, lists of
witnesses, orders appointing attorneys, verdicts, information forms, memoranda,
juror records, stipulations, printed materials, and correspondence pertaining
to each specific case. The civil and criminal files cover the period from
1947-1960 when Wicks was Superior Court Judge for Okanogan and Ferry Counties,
and the Yelle case from 1973-1974.
Subseries 2.1.1: Criminal.
Alphabetical arrangement of cases within alphabetized
categories of crimes.
Box
6
Arson and Assault
B-S
570
7
Assault S-W, Burglary, Carnal
Knowledge
480
8
Contributing to Delinquency
of a Minor, Extradition Proceedings, Forgery, Indecent Liberties
270
9
Grand Larceny A-H
520
10
Grand Larceny J-Y
315
11
Miscellaneous, Murder
A-J
300
12
Murder M-T, Negligent
Homicide, Robbery
300
13
Selling Intoxicating Liquor
to Minor, Sodomy, Taking a Motor Vehicle without Permission
300
Subseries 2.1.2: Civil.
Arranged chronologically within each alphabetical heading.
Box
14
A-B, 1948
365
15
B, 1949-1953
455
16
B, 1959-1961
110
16
C, 1948-1953
110
17
C, 1953-1961
190
17
D, 1948-1956
190
18
D, 1957
200
18
F , 1954
200
19
F, 1956
225
19
H, 1951
225
20
H, 1951
115
20
J, 1954
115
21
K-M, 1949
280
22
M, 1949
140
22
N, 1960
140
23
0-P, 1949-1961
236
24
R, 1949-1959
320
25
S, 1948-1955
450
26
S, 1956-1961
310
27
T, 1947-1961
300
28
U-W, 1947-1960
410
Subseries 2.1.3: Yelle vs.
Kramer .
Box
29
Wicks served on a pro tempore
Supereme Court in a special case involving state legislators' and judicial
officers' salaries, (citation: 520 P2d 927), 1973-1974
200
Subseries 2.2: Court's Notes.
.
Box
30
Judge's notes on cases on which
his office had no file, also Law Day Notes, 1947-1960
330
Subseries 2.3: Jury Duty Lists.
, 1947-1960.
Lists of persons subject to jury duty, voter registration lists,
orders, claims of exemption, correspondence, venire for jury and other legal
forms pertaining to jury selection and terms.
Box
31
Ferry County, 1947-1960
195
Okanogan County.
Box
31
1946-1949
110
32
1947-1949
540
33
1950-1953
520
34
1953-1955
780
35
1955-1964
135
Subseries 2.4: Court Calendars.
, 1947-1961
Calendars for Okanogan, Ferry, Spokane and Miscellaneous
Counties. Some folders also contain correspondence, various forms and court's
notes attached to the calendars.
Box
36
Ferry County, 1947-1960
200
36
Miscellaneous, 1947; , 1951
60
Okanogan County.
Box
36
1947-1949
110
37
1950-1964
165
Subseries 2.5: Marriage Licenses
and Waivers.
Box
38
Orders authorizing County
Auditor to deliver marriage license, indexes to waivers and marriage
licenses, 1947-1958
445
Subseries 2.6: Correspondence.
, 1946-1961
General correspondence, and with the Court Reporter 1947-1948
and Court Administrator 1959-1961.
Box
38
General (arranged
alphabetically)
Box
39
1946-1948
570
40
1949
150
40
1950
180
41
1951-1952
190
41
1953-1954
230
42
1955-1957
210
42
1958-1959
250
42
1961
120
Court Administrator and Court
Reporter
Box
43
Correspondence with Court
Administrator, 1960-1964
10
43
Administrator for the
Courts--correspondence and memoranda, 1959-1961
55
43
Court Reporter,
Correspondence re, 1947-1948
40
Subseries 2.7: Procedural Orders
and Reports., 1947-1961.
Reports to the Judge from county officials and institutions, and
reports made by the Judge on judicial business done, orders, definitions,
rules, and information related to the orderly functioning of the judiciary,
also material relating to Juvenile Courts
Box
43
Report for Judge Wicks on
Judicial Business done., 1948
13
43
Judicial Business
Done, 1949-1957
43
Juvenile Officers
Reports, 1951.
11
43
Adoptions, 1958.
43
Reports of
Next-of-friend.
8
43
Eastern State Hospital
Reports--Judge's file, 1958-1960
15
43
Ferry County Pre-Sentence
Reports, 1961.
9
43
Pre-Sentence
Reports, 1963
10
44
Temporary File of Orders
Appointing Attorney in Criminal Cases, 1947-1954
Immigration and Naturalization
Service, 1947-1949.
27
44
Order Fixing Rules for County
Jail, 1949-1950.
6
44
Nervous & Mental
Diseases--Definition of terms used, etc
15
44
Pertaining to Rules, Practice
& Procedure—Effective, Jan. 1 1960.
4
44
Impeachment
Information.
4
44
Matters Pending for Judge's
Signature, etc., 1950.
4
44
Proposed
Legislature, 1947-1948.
9
44
Juvenile
Matters--Inter-office, 1947-1960
50
Subseries 2.8: Financial
Records. , 1947-1952.
Okanogan and Ferry County Budgets, and the Judge's personal
expense, travel and salary vouchers.
Box
45
Budget--Okanogan & Ferry
Counties, 1947-1952
35
45
Ferry County Budget 1949,
Revenue for 1948., 1949
2
45
Travel and Salary
Vouchers, 1947-1948
75
45
Salary and Expense
Vouchers, 1949
35
Subseries 2.9: Committees.
, 1948-1961.
Concerning Judge Wicks' involvement with juvenile matters,
various public committees, committees related to judicial and state
administration, and committee for the mentally ill.
Box
45
State School for
Girls, 1948.
3
45
Committee on Institutions &
Juvenile Delinquency, 1958
45
Committee on Institutions &
Juvenile Delinquency, 1957-1959
60
45
Committee on Public
Institutions and Juvenile Delinquency--Judge Wicks, Chairman, 1954-1955
200
45
Okanogan County Youth Council
and Rando Manor matters, 1953.
3
45
Okanogan Valley Child
Guidance, 1957; , 1961.
5
45
Private Schools State of
Washington, List, 1952.
3
45
Correspondence etc. In Re.
Committee for Mentally Ill, 1961
45
1960-1961
15
45
Committee for Good Government
and Grand Jury, 1949.
18
45
Committee on Improvement of the
Administration of Justice, 1960-1961.
17
Subseries 2.10: Washington State
Superior Court Judges Association .
Box
46
Minutes, correspondence,
financial reports, lists of members, and printed materials connected with the
association, 1948-1950; , 1954-1962
Correspondence, exhibits, evidence, contracts, articles of
incorporation, application forms, minutes, juror materials, orders, petitions,
complaints, notices, memoranda, clippings, summons, notes, photographs, trial
speeches, printed materials and other papers relating to criminal and civil
cases, including defense materials for the Goldmark case.
Box
47
The Gold Mountain Mining
Company Papers, 1930-1933.
30
47
Green Mountain Gold Mining
Company, 1932
15
47
Monte Oro Mining
Company, 1942-1947.
6
47
Sawdust Makers
Union, 1939-1951
130
47
School District #401 (Okanogan
County) vs. School District #14 (Okanogan County), 1942-1943
60
48
Public Utility
District, 1936-1940
20
48
PUD #1 (Okanogan Co.) vs. WWP
and PUD #1 (Douglas) vs. WWP Exhibits, 1930-1942.
11
48
Public Utility Dist. vs. Wash.
Water Power, 1942-1943
150
48
Washington Water Power vs.
P.U.D. #1 of Okanogan County, 1945
35
49
Washington vs. Robert Neil
Murder Case, 1936-1944
65
49
U.S. vs. John Paradis Murder
Trial (Indian), 1940-1941.
50
49
Wash. State vs. J.F.
Thorpe, 1940
90
49
General Practice, 1969
10
49
LaCourse, Lee Gibson
#766, 1970-1972
80
50
Goldmark, John et ux vs.
Canwell, Albert F., et al, file no. 1 Wicks 43, 1963-1964
34
50
Goldmark, John, et ux vs.
Canwell, Albert F., et al., 43 no. 2, 1962-1963
200
50
43 no. 3, 1963
125
51
Goldmark, John et ux vs.
Canwell, Albert F., et al, 44 file no. 4, 1964-1965
100
51
Wicks 44, 1963
90
51
Clippings from Goldmark
Case, 1963
185
52
Goldmark vs. Canwell, Wicks
papers 45, 1960-1964
70
52
Wicks 45, Index to Trial
Proceedings, and Note cards on witnesses, 1963-1964
2
52
Subseries 3.2: Indian
Affairs.
Materials related to Wicks' personal and professional interest
in Indian matters. The sub-series contains two sub-sub-series' which are: a
personal file, and files relating to Wicks' official representation for the
Colville Confederated Tribes.
Subseries 3.2.1: Personal.
, 1941-1963.
Correspondence, speeches, and printed materials relating to
Indian Affairs which were of personal interest to Wicks.
The first chronological file of minutes, government documents
and other printed material has been retained in the original order, the second
is a compilation of loose papers arranged chronologically. The third set, case
files, are arranged alphabetically.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Personal Names :
Canwell, Albert -- Trials, litigation, etc.
Goldmark, John -- Trials, litigation, etc.
Wicks, Joseph, b. 1896--Archives
(
creator)
Corporate Names :
Colville Indians -- Legal status, laws, etc.
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation --
Officials and employees -- Records and correspondence
Washington (State). Superior Court (Okanogan and Ferry
Counties)
Subject Terms :
Indians of
North America -- Washington (State) -- Legal status, laws, etc.
