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.
![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: opening statement on behalf of the State of Utah.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1005/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: opening statement on behalf of the State of Utah.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, intervener : State of Utah, intervener: answer of the State of Nevada to complaint and answer in intervention by the State of Utah.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1190/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, intervener : State of Utah, intervener: answer of the State of Nevada to complaint and answer in intervention by the State of Utah.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.] defendants, United States of America, intervener, State of Nevada, intervener, State of New Mexico, party, State of Utah, party: answer of the State of Nevada to the appearance and statement in behalf of New Mexico of its claim of interest in and to Lower Basin waters.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1175/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, party, State of Utah, party: answer of the State of Nevada to the appearance and statement in behalf of New Mexico of its claim of interest in and to Lower Basin waters.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.] defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : State of New Mexico, party : State of Utah, party: statement of the State of Nevada.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1169/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, party : State of Utah, party: statement of the State of Nevada.")
![State of Arizona, plaintiff, vs. State of California ... [et al.] defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: complaint and answer in intervention by the State of Utah.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1159/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, plaintiff, vs. State of California ... [et al.] defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: complaint and answer in intervention by the State of Utah.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.] defendants, United States of America, intervener, State of Nevada, intervener: appearance and statement in behalf of New Mexico of its claim of interest in and to Lower Basin waters.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1204/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.] defendants, United States of America, intervener, State of Nevada, intervener: appearance and statement in behalf of New Mexico of its claim of interest in and to Lower Basin waters.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: exceptions of the California defendants to the report and recommendations of the special master with respect to their motion to join the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and brief in support of exceptions.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1180/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: exceptions of the California defendants to the report and recommendations of the special master with respect to their motion to join the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and brief in support of exceptions.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: memorandum of Arizona (a) in reply to motion of the United States for preliminary determination of questions of law : and (b) in reply to California's and Nevada's exceptions to the Master's report on the question of joinder of four states.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1087/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: memorandum of Arizona (a) in reply to motion of the United States for preliminary determination of questions of law : and (b) in reply to California's and Nevada's exceptions to the Master's report on the question of joinder of four states.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: memorandum of the California defendants in reply to motion of the United States for determination of questions of law presented by the pleadings in this cause and the report of the special master.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1207/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: memorandum of the California defendants in reply to motion of the United States for determination of questions of law presented by the pleadings in this cause and the report of the special master.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: petition for rehearing of decision denying motion to join the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1205/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: petition for rehearing of decision denying motion to join the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: reply brief of the California defendants in support of their motion to join, as parties, the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1094/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: reply brief of the California defendants in support of their motion to join, as parties, the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: reply of California defendants to Arizona's memorandum filed November 1, 1955, directed to the report of the special master.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1144/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: reply of California defendants to Arizona's memorandum filed November 1, 1955, directed to the report of the special master.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: special master's report on the motion of the California defendants to join as parties the states of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1214/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: special master's report on the motion of the California defendants to join as parties the states of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.")
![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: opening statement of Mr. John H. Moeur, chief counsel, Arizona Interstate Stream Commission.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1176/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: opening statement of Mr. John H. Moeur, chief counsel, Arizona Interstate Stream Commission.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : states of New Mexico and Utah, impleaded: response of State of Arizona to complaint and answer by the State of Utah.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1033/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : states of New Mexico and Utah, impleaded: response of State of Arizona to complaint and answer by the State of Utah.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : states of New Mexico and Utah, impleaded: statement of position of Arizona.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1139/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, vs. State of California ... [et al], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : states of New Mexico and Utah, impleaded: statement of position of Arizona.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: brief of the State of Nevada, intervener, in re motion of California to join as parties the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1178/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener: brief of the State of Nevada, intervener, in re motion of California to join as parties the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.")
![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: answers to interrogatories propounded to the State of Nevada by the California defendants.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1112/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: answers to interrogatories propounded to the State of Nevada by the California defendants.")
![State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : states of New Mexico and Utah, impleaded: response of State of Arizona to appearance and statement of New Mexico.](https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/arizona-v-california/1213/thumbnail.jpg "State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California ... [et al.], defendants : United States of America, intervener : State of Nevada, intervener : states of New Mexico and Utah, impleaded: response of State of Arizona to appearance and statement of New Mexico.")
