United States v. State of California
Headline: Federal government keeps ownership of California’s offshore submerged lands and blocks state title or leases, upholding U.S. control three nautical miles seaward and preventing California from claiming those resources.
Holding: The Court ruled that the United States holds supreme ownership and control over submerged lands off California’s coast (seaward three nautical miles) and that California has no title, granting the United States injunctive relief.
- Affirms federal ownership of California’s coastal submerged lands out to three nautical miles.
- Prevents California from claiming title or making binding leases of those offshore lands.
- Allows the United States to obtain a court order stopping state actions affecting those submerged lands.
Summary
Background
The dispute involved the United States government and the State of California over who controls submerged lands off California’s coast. Federal officials and the California Attorney General filed stipulations that appeared to surrender or limit the United States’ claimed power and to authorize state leases. A private petitioner asked to intervene to challenge those stipulations. The Court had issued an earlier opinion in June and considered these new filings in October.
Reasoning
The central question was whether the United States or California holds title and control of the submerged lands seaward of the ordinary low-water mark out to three nautical miles. The Court ruled that the United States has had and still has full dominion, paramount rights, and control over those lands and their minerals, and that California has no title or property interest in them. The Court struck the stipulations as irrelevant to the issues before it, denied the petitioner’s request to file the motion here (while allowing him to pursue rights in a lower court), and granted the United States the injunction it sought to protect federal control.
Real world impact
As a result, California cannot claim ownership or a property interest in those offshore areas or use state leases to override federal control. The federal government can block state actions that would affect the submerged lands or their resources. The Court also reserved power to issue further orders to make sure its decree is enforced.
Dissents or concurrances
Justice Frankfurter noted that any legal questions about the meaning or validity of the struck stipulations were not decided by the Court. Justice Jackson did not participate.
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