The financial support of concerned citizens is as vital to Sea Shepherd in the courtroom as it is on the high seas.
Legal actions are often slow, protracted affairs, appearing to move no faster than a glacier.
Litigation surrounding the Makah whale hunt is no exception. Sea Shepherd's legal counsel is preparing a lawsuit based on the violation of the civil rights of several of our crew on November 1, 1998. The cause of action for this case was recently bolstered when the Clallam County Sheriff's department filed a charge of assault against tribal officer Eric Svenson for his role in the attack on Sea Shepherd members at the Makah marina. This is an appeal of the decision of the U.S. District Court to uphold the process by which the U.S. issued permits for the Makah Tribe to commence whaling. The 3-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit should hand down a more reasonable ruling, but the court needs to hear from Sea Shepherd on this important issue.