The Arizona v. California Collection at the William A. Wise Law Library contains more than 185 full-text, searchable pleadings, briefs, orders, transcripts, and reports from the historic, 12-year original proceeding in the U.S. Supreme Court filed by the State of Arizona against the State of California, which sought to clarify rights to the use of Colorado River basin water. The case culminated in a June 3, 1963 decision, reported in Arizona v. California , 373 U.S. 546 , which was implemented by a March 9, 1964 decree, reported in Arizona v. California , 376 U.S. 340.
The Wise Law Library’s Arizona v. California Collection was acquired in part through the efforts of former University of Colorado Law Library Director, J. Myron Jacobstein, a legend in the field of legal research pedagogy. The Collection features many key filings by Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and the United States, as well as the 1960 draft and final reports of Special Master Simon H. Rifkind and copies of the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion and decree . The Collection also includes Special Master Elbert P. Tuttle’s 1982 report in the reopened Arizona v. California case decided in 1983; this report is a gift of the David H. Getches family.
![Upper Colorado River Commission summary : no. 9 original, in the Supreme Court of the United States, October term, 1959 : State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants : the United States of America and the State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants: Simon H. Rifkind, special master : draft report [summary]](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1136/thumbnail.jpg "Upper Colorado River Commission summary : no. 9 original, in the Supreme Court of the United States, October term, 1959 : State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants : the United States of America and the State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants: Simon H. Rifkind, special master : draft report [summary]")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, impleaded : State of Utah, impleaded : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: answering brief of the State of Nevada.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1083/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, impleaded : State of Utah, impleaded : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: answering brief of the State of Nevada.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, impleaded : State of Utah, impleaded : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: reply brief of the State of Nevada.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1115/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, impleaded : State of Utah, impleaded : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: reply brief of the State of Nevada.")
![State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: brief in support of findings of fact and conclusions of law proposed by the United States of America.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1194/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: brief in support of findings of fact and conclusions of law proposed by the United States of America.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: findings of fact and conclusions of law proposed by the United States of America.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1186/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: findings of fact and conclusions of law proposed by the United States of America.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.] defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: rebuttal brief of the United States of America.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1166/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.] defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: rebuttal brief of the United States of America.")
![State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: reply brief of the United States of America.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1013/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : the United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of Utah and State of New Mexico, impleaded defendants : before Honorable Simon H. Rifkind, special master: reply brief of the United States of America.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: rebuttal brief of the California defendants.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1050/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: rebuttal brief of the California defendants.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to brief in support of proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the United States of America.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1164/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to brief in support of proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the United States of America.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, and brief relating thereto of the State of Nevada.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1181/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, and brief relating thereto of the State of Nevada.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, and opening brief of the State of Arizona.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1102/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, and opening brief of the State of Arizona.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the State of Utah.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1109/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the State of Utah.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the United States of America.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1053/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the United States of America.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to requested findings of fact and conclusions of law, and brief in support thereof of the State of New Mexico.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1113/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: response of the California defendants to requested findings of fact and conclusions of law, and brief in support thereof of the State of New Mexico.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: supplemental and alternative findings of fact and conclusions of law proposed by the California defendants : proposed jointly by the State of California and other California defendants.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1209/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: supplemental and alternative findings of fact and conclusions of law proposed by the California defendants : proposed jointly by the State of California and other California defendants.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners, State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties: before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: supplemental rebuttal brief of defendant Imperial Irrigation District.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1197/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners, State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties: before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: supplemental rebuttal brief of defendant Imperial Irrigation District.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: supplementary brief submitted on behalf of defendant the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1189/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners : State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: supplementary brief submitted on behalf of defendant the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, impleaded : State of Utah, impleaded : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: Arizona's answering brief.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1221/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, impleaded : State of Utah, impleaded : before the Hon. Simon H. Rifkind, special master: Arizona's answering brief.")
