Rhode Island v. Massachusetts
Rhode Island v. Massachusetts, 37 U.S. (12 Pet.) 657 (1838), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court asserted its original jurisdiction over a suit in equity, a boundary dispute between Massachusetts and Rhode Island dating to colonial times.
| Rhode Island v. Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Decided February 21, 1838 | |
| Full case name | The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Complainants v. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Defendant |
| Citations | 37 U.S. 657 (more) |
| Holding | |
| Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over a suit by one state against another over their shared border | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Baldwin, joined by Thompson, McLean, Wayne, Catron, McKinley |
| Concurrence | Barbour |
| Dissent | Taney |
| Story took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. | |
James I had granted the original charter in November 1621.[1] The dispute, which had lasted over 200 years, was over Narragansett Bay.[2][1] To settle the dispute, Rhode Island moved for a subpoena on 16 March, 1832.[3] Daniel Webster represented Massachusetts.
The Court determined that the compact between the two colonies made in 1711-1718 should govern the boundary line between the states, and therefore confirmed the existing boundary line, rejecting Rhode Island's interpretation of the colonial charters, which would have put the border further into Massachusetts.
References
edit- ^ a b "Rhode Island v. Massachusetts, 37 U.S. 657 (1838)". Justia Law. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-supreme-court/37/657.html [bare URL]
- ^ Ullman, Edward (1939). "The Eastern Rhode Island-Massachusetts Boundary Zone". Geographical Review. 29 (2): 291–302. Bibcode:1939GeoRv..29..291U. doi:10.2307/209948. ISSN 0016-7428. JSTOR 209948.
External links
edit- Text of Rhode Island v. Massachusetts, 37 U.S. (12 Pet.) 657 (1838) is available from: Findlaw Justia Library of Congress OpenJurist