Texas v. Louisiana
Supreme Court of the United States
Texas v. Louisiana
On Bill of Complaint
No. 36, Orig. Argued: December 11, 1972 --- Decided: March 20, 1973
The Special Master's Report, to the extent that it recommends that the relevant boundary between Texas and Louisiana be the geographic middle of Sabine Pass, Lake, and River (collectively Sabine) and not the west bank or the middle of the main channel and that all islands in the east half of the Sabine when Louisiana was admitted as a State in 1812, or thereafter formed, should be awarded to Louisiana, is adopted; decision on the Report with respect to islands in the west half of the Sabine existing in 1812 or thereafter formed, is deferred pending further proceedings, in which the United States is invited to participate, and which the Special Master is to conduct. Pp. 704-714.
WHITE, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C.J., and BRENNAN, STEWART, MARSHALL, BLACKMUN, POWELL, and REHNQUIST, JJ., joined. DOUGLAS, J., filed a dissenting opinion, post, p. 714.
Samuel D. McDaniel argued the cause for plaintiff in support of the Report of the Special Master. On the brief were Crawford C. Martin, Attorney General of Texas, Nola White, First Assistant Attorney General, and Houghton Brownlee, Jr., J. Arthur Sandlin, and James H. Quick, Assistant Attorneys General.
Oliver P. Stockwell, Special Assistant Attorney General of Louisiana, argued the cause for defendant on exceptions to the Report of the Special Master. With him on the brief were William J. Guste, Jr., Attorney General, John L. Madden, Assistant Attorney General, and Sam H. Jones, Jacob H. Morrison, and Emmett C. Sole, Special Assistant Attorneys General.