United States v. Maine et al. (475 U.S. 89)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided February 25, 1986 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 475 U.S. 89 · 106 S. Ct. 951
- Decided
- February 25, 1986
- Term
- October Term 1985
- Vote
- 8–0
- Majority author
- Justice Stevens
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court. The question now before the Court is whether Nantucket Sound qualifies as “internal waters” of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts rather than partly territorial sea and partly high seas as the United States contends. We agree with the Special Master’s conclusion that the Commonwealth’s claim should be rejected. I Pursuant to an earlier decree of this Court, the United States and Massachusetts in 1977 filed a joint motion for supplemental proceedings to determine the location of the Massachusetts coastline. After our appointment of a Special Master, 433 U. S. 917 (1977), the parties agreed on a partial settlement, which we approved in 1981. 452 U. S. 429. Left unresolved was the status of Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound, a dispute which gave rise to extensive hearings before the Special Master. The Master concluded that Vineyard Sound is a “historic bay” and therefore a part of the inland waters of Massachusetts. However, he reached a contrary conclusion concerning Nantucket Sound. Explaining that the decision concerning Vineyard Sound has only minimal practical significance, the United States has taken no exception to the Master’s report. Massachusetts, however, has excepted to that part of the report concerning Nantucket Sound. Specifically, although Massachusetts acquiesces in the determination that the doctrine of…
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