JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – As the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024-2025 term approaches in October, reflection on Mississippi’s impact on law looms large for many.
Mississippi’s presence in the courtroom on One First Street is smaller than most states. However, cases brought before the nation’s highest court have altered state boundaries, addressed injustice and shaped national politics. Below are three noteworthy cases that did those three things.
Mississippi v. Arkansas (1974)
The United States originally established the Mississippi River as the boundary between Arkansas and Mississippi. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers later built the Tarpley Cut-off. It gradually formed a piece of land known as the Luna Bar. The states fought each other over who owned the land.
The U.S. Supreme Court is the court with the exclusive ability to hear controversies between states. That is why Mississippi first filed suit against Arkansas at the Supreme Court in 1970. The court then commissioned a judge to spearhead the investigation into the land dispute.