State of Arizona v. State of California

Background

The case is a dispute brought by the State of Arizona against the State of California, joined by many local entities named as defendants, including irrigation districts, a metropolitan water district, and several cities. The State of Nevada intervened, and the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming sought to be joined as parties. The filing identifies counsel for each side and is captioned as an original action before the Supreme Court.

Reasoning

The Court addressed two procedural requests: a motion by the California defendants for leave to file an amended answer, and a motion to join four additional Western states as parties. The Court granted the California defendants leave to file the amended answer. The Court did not decide the joinder request itself; instead it referred the question whether the four states should be joined to Special Master George I. Haight, directing him to hear the parties and promptly report his opinion and recommendation.

Real world impact

The immediate effect is procedural: California defendants may change or expand their pleading, while the question of adding Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming will be examined by the Special Master before the Court acts. The order is an interim step in the larger interstate dispute and is not a final decision on the merits. The opinion also notes that the Chief Justice did not participate in consideration or decision of these motions.