Document: 466 U.S. 198 104 S.Ct. 1751 80 L.Ed.2d 237 SUMMA CORPORATION, Petitionerv.CALIFORNIA ex rel. STATE LANDS COMMISSION and City of Los Angeles. No. 82-708. Supreme Court the United States Argued Feb. 29, 1984. Decided April 17, Rehearing Denied June 4, Syllabus Petitioner owns fee title to Ballona Lagoon, a narrow body water connected manmade harbor located in city Angeles on Pacific Ocean. The lagoon became part following war with Mexico, which was formally ended by Treaty Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848. Petitioner's predecessors-in-interest had their interest confirmed federal patent proceedings pursuant an 1851 Act that been enacted implement treaty, provided validity claims California lands would be decided according Mexican law. made no claim any at time proceedings, mention such issued. brought suit against petitioner state court, alleging held easement Lagoon for commerce, navigation, fishing, passage fresh canals, recreation, having acquired State. joined as defendant required law filed cross-complaint it upon its admission Union granted this city. trial court ruled favor State, finding subject claimed public trust easement. affirmed, rejecting petitioner's arguments never tideland, even if been, imposed servitude reason fact, were tideland under law, forfeited State's failure assert proceedings. Held: cannot late date over property, when without is one substantial magnitude regardless fact asserted State sovereign capacity, must have presented or barred. Cf. Barker v. Harvey, 181 481, 21 690, 45 L.Ed. 963; Title Ins. & Trust Co., 265 472, 44 621, 68 1110; Coronado Beach 255 41 378, 65 736. Pp. 205-209. 31 Cal.3d 288, 182 Cal.Rptr. 599, 644 P.2d 792, reversed remanded. Warren M. Christopher, Washington, D.C., petitioner. Louis F. Claiborne, amicus curiae, special leave Court. Nancy Alvarado Saggese, Angeles, Cal., respondents. Justice REHNQUIST delivered opinion 1 property known Marina del Rey, called Venice. Venice Ocean between International Airport Santa Monica. present case arises from lawsuit respondent Summa Corp. alleged waters Canals, recreation. California, fishing Union, public, city's complaint indicated wanted dredge make other improvements exercise power eminent domain property. 117 Cal.App.3d 335, 172 619 respondents, who right construct exercising compensating landowners. affirmed ruling court. Peninsula Properties, 792 (1982). 2 In all three these grounds. We certiorari, 460 1036, 103 1425, 75 786 (1983), now reverse judgment, holding assumed tidelands described proceeding order survive issue patent.1 3 lagoon, like land dates back 1839, Governor Augustin Ignacio Machado Felipe Tomas Talamantes Rancho Ballona.2 comprising 9 Stat. 922. Under terms undertook protect rights landowners, Hidalgo, Art. VIII, 929, same settlers moving into large numbers exploit mineral wealth resources new territory. grants encompassed well 10 million acres included some best suitable development. H.R.Rep. 1, 33d Cong., 2d Sess., 4-5 (1854). As we wrote long ago: "The country new, rich wealth, attracted settlers, whose industry enterprise produced unparalleled prosperity. enhanced value given whole surface discovery gold, necessary ascertain settle private claims, so real estate belonging individuals could separated domain." Peralta States, Wall. 434, 439, 18 221 (1866). See also Botiller Dominguez, 130 238, 244, 525, 526, 32 926 (1889). 4 To fulfill obligations provide orderly settlement Congress passed March 3, 1851, setting up comprehensive procedure. Act, Board Land Commissioners established decide "each every person claiming virtue derived Spanish government. . ." Mar. § 8, ch. 41, 632. "the laws, usages, customs" 11, while parties before appeal District de novo determination rights, 9; Grisar McDowell, 6 363, 375, 863 (1867), Court, 10. Claimants within two years, however, 13; see supra. final decree Board, issued conclusive adjudication claimant but not interests third superior titles. 15. 5 1852 Machados petitioned confirmation Act. Following hearing, petition App. 21, appeal, id., 22-23. Before issue, survey approved Surveyor General California. purpose completed 1858, although rejected submission Office Department Interior. Id., 32-34. followed, proposed readvertised interested informed participate proceedings.3 owners immediately north protested Ballona; Talamantes, original grantees, affidavits support claim. result submissions, consideration surveyor's field notes underlying documents, withdrew objection ocean boundary. Secretary Interior subsequently 1873 confirming grantees. 101-109. Significantly, 7 has interpreted apply irrespective character land. Long Mansell, 462, 486-487, 91 23, 476 423, 440-441 (1970). Through easement, overriding enter possess it, physical changes control how used. Marks Whitney, 251, 259-260, 98 790, 491 374, 380-381 (1971); People Fish 166 Cal. 576, 596-599, 138 P. 79, 87-89 (1913). Although landowner retains legal he controls little more than naked fee, use remains member 8 question face whether substantially derogation patented predecessors can conducted statute implementing Hidalgo. think cannot. Federal Government, course, dispose possessed equal-footing doctrine Constitution. Pollard's Lessee Hagan, How. 212, 11 565 (1845). Thus, ordinary purporting convey individual invalid, since holds only Borax, Ltd. 296 10, 15-16, 56 25-26, (1935). But Borax recognized different follow 19, 27. Patents authority "pursuant reserved enable discharge international duty respect which, State." 28. Oregon Corvallis Sand Gravel 429 97 582, 589, 50 550 (1977); Knight Assn., 142 161, 12 258, 35 974 (1891). This fundamental distinction reflects important aspect Congress. While intended country's served providing repose titles originated grants. noted (1866), territory undergoing period rapid development exploitation, primarily gold Sutter's Mill generally J. Caughey, 238-255 (2d ed. 1953). It essential determine what available Government. "to place stable foundation, give them opportunity placing records country, manner form will prevent future controversy." Fremont 17 542, 553-554, 15 241 (1855); accord, Thompson Farming 180 72, 77, 289, 291, 432 (1901). argues right, did expressly proceedings.4 were, confirmatory patents expand grantee. Beard Federy, 478, 88 our decisions line cases beginning 963 (1901), effectively California's during behalf certain Mission Indians permanent occupancy Mexico. Indians' reservation placed permitting grantees fence "interfering roads, cross-roads usages." 494, 495, 695. claim, holding: "If founded action government they abandoned presenting commission consideration, not, therefore, 'resist successfully disposing property.' If said do occupation, and, come provision section persons 'claiming government,' may replied far-reaching effect, burdened full disposal States. Surely his land, securing transfer him, Indian occupancy." Id. 491-492, 694. followed subsequent similar question, aboriginal extinguished affirmative act sovereign. 1110 (1924). suggested Brief Appellant O.T.1923, 358, pp. 14-16; cf. Chouteau Molony, 16 203, 229, 14 905 (1854), applied decision hold because failed timespan declined invitation overrule adverse effect titles, counseled adherence settled interpretation. U.S., 486, 692. 13 Finally, 736 (1921), Government argued awarded grant, condemnation award should reduced reflect entered Union. Government's argument, collaterally attacked 487-488, 379. "sovereign" those raised must, These outcome case. taken 1851. interest, Accordingly, judgment reversed, remanded further inconsistent opinion. ordered. MARSHALL took Respondents argue below presents simply concerning incident title, though relating raises They rely Hooker 188 314, 23 395, 47 487 (1903), Milling Co. 217 217, 30 452, 54 (1910), Boquillas Cattle Curtis, 213 339, 29 493, 53 822 (1909). held, quite properly view, questions riparian raise merely conflicting based patents. controversy case, unlike cases, turns proper construction Were rule otherwise, Court's dismiss course Hooker, rather merits. clearly much, "under succeeded Mexico's defendants' annexation California," Cal.3d, 298, P.2d, 798, "was statehood," 302, 801. jurisdiction need provisions operate preclude asserting 1839 grant contained enclose "without prejudice traversing roads servitudes [servidumbres]." 5. According expert testimony trial, Las Siete Partidas, Machados' Talamantes' preserve enclosed boundaries Ballona. reasoned common-law tidelands. argue, create At most inserted existing paths public. 485-486, 379, (1921); supra; Jover Insular 623, 664, 55 884 (1911). beyond cavil take look Perot, 428, 430, 25 251 (1879); 556, (1855), find unnecessary expansive occupied area approximately 14,000 about 2,000 boundaries. present-day virtually former tidelands, filling natural conditions transforming much larger dry involves old fair reading suggests extended longer tides 423 through formal process began Their forwarded Council committee vacant request. Formal vesting after inspected, judge "walking boundaries," 213, conveyance duly registered. 1-13; Pico, 536, 539, 695 (1867). plain leading grant. asserts "practice" Respondent 16, n. 17. point participated just involving rancho near re Sausal Redundo Other Cases, Rosecrans et al., Resolutions Dec. 24, 1868, found National Archives, RG 49, Claims, Docket 414. Moreover, confirmed, specially conferring tract embraced published file objections survey. July 1864, 194, 332. argument cites Montana 450 544, 101 1245, 67 493 (1981), Illinois Central R. Illinois, 146 387, 110, 36 1018 (1892), proposition survived alienation beds navigable lightly inferred, conveyed recognition "international duty." supra, 552, 1251. Whether 1850 open speculation. navigable, Pet. Cert. A-52, concedes 1850, 29. obligation citizens was, obligation, express inherent nations, Moreno, 400, 404, 633 (1864); Fossatt, 445, 448, 185, 186 (1859). previously reliance New Orleans 662, 573 (1836), Eldridge Trezevant, 160 345, 40 490 (1896), misplaced, however. Neither involved example, recommendations Congress, contrast binding river-front Commissioners. 733-734. involve patent, outright exempt longstanding local levee safety purposes. extinguish servitude, "right occupancy," 491, S.Ct., 694,

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