Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/250/71/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 04:50:23+00:00

Document:
The contention that an issue between private parties involving the location of the state boundary was submitted to the jury upon a theory inconsistent with the true principle of decision as laid down by this Court, and that thereby a party was deprived of a right, privilege or immunity claimed under the Constitution and treaties of the United States, will not afford ground for a writ of error to review the judgment of a state court under Jud.Code, § 237, as amended. P. 250 U. S. 73.
in the suit between the states locating their boundary, and hence no question as to the validity of "an authority exercised under the United States" within the meaning of Jud.Code § 237, as amended. P. 250 U. S. 74.
An application for certiorari to review a judgment of a state court cannot be entertained after the three months' period limited by § 6 of the Act of September 6, 1916, has expired. P. 250 U. S. 76.
Writ of error dismissed. Certiorari denied.
This case was brought on for argument immediately following Arkansas v. Mississippi, No. 7, Original, ante, 250 U. S. 39.
1848; the river having broken through the neck of the Bend and formed a new channel there, with the result that, in the course of time, the former channel around the Bend was abandoned and in large part filled up, and its location as it was prior to the avulsion has become, after the lapse of so many years, difficult of ascertainment. The adjoining states whose common boundary is marked by the river at this point are in dispute as to its former location, and also as to whether the boundary ought to follow the middle of the former main channel of navigation or rather a line equidistant from the banks of the river at ordinary stage of water. To determine this controversy, the suit between the states was brought in this Court, and it is still pending.
It is the contention of plaintiff in error that the judgment in the present case was based upon the determination of an issue which necessarily involved the location of the interstate boundary, and our first inquiry must be whether the judgment of the Supreme Court of Mississippi herein is reviewable in this Court by writ of error. The judgment was rendered December 23, 1916, after the taking effect of the Act of September 6, 1916. c. 448, § 2, 39 Stat. 726, amendatory of § 237, Judicial Code, and hence is reviewable here, if at all, only by virtue of that act and in accordance with its provisions.
and claimed in the state court, it, of course, is not maintained, nor could it be, that, under § 237 Judicial Code as amended, a federal question of this character would give us jurisdiction to review the resulting judgment by writ of error. Were that the only federal question, clearly it would, at most, furnish ground for a review by certiorari.
But it is insisted that the supreme court of the state, in the course of its review of the judgment of the circuit court, rendered an adverse decision upon the question of the validity of an authority exercised under the United States, and for this reason we have jurisdiction by writ of error under the amended § 237.
erroneous theory respecting the location of the interstate boundary line.
It is the contention of plaintiff in error that, by the last-mentioned motion, the validity of the authority of this Court to determine the issues involved in the suit between the states was drawn in question, and that the decision of the Supreme Court of Mississippi was against its validity.
in a state court pending our determination of the suit between states. In setting up this contention, plaintiff in error did no more than assert a title, right, privilege, or immunity under the Constitution of the United States. This, at most, afforded ground for an application to this Court for a review of the resulting judgment by certiorari, but not for a writ of error. The case of Cissna v. Tennessee, 242 U. S. 195; 246 U. S. 246 U.S. 289, in which a similar question was raised but not passed upon was brought to this Court by writ of error, but before § 237, Judicial Code was amended by the Act of 1916. The present writ of error must be dismissed.
On the eve of the argument a writ of certiorari was applied for; but, as this was long after the expiration of the three months limited by § 6 of the Act of September 6, 1916, the application cannot be entertained, irrespective of whether the record shows a proper case for the allowance of that writ.
Application for writ of certiorari denied.

References: § 237
 § 237
 § 6
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 § 2
 § 237
 § 237
 § 237
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 § 237
 § 6