In the case of Texas v. Louisiana in 1972, the U.S Supreme Court was asked to settle a dispute over territorial boundaries between the two states. The disagreement centered around Sabine Lake and Pass, which form part of their shared border. Both Texas and Louisiana claimed ownership over certain parts of these bodies of water based on different interpretations of historical treaties and maps. After examining all evidence presented by both sides, including an 1845 joint resolution from Congress that made Texas a state, the court ruled in favor of Texas for most areas under contention but also granted some territory to Louisiana as well. The decision clarified that when it comes to determining borders between states, historical documents such as treaties are crucial pieces of evidence; however they must be interpreted within their specific context at the time they were created rather than applying modern geographical knowledge or standards retrospectively.

In the dissenting opinion for Texas v. Louisiana, 1972, it was argued that the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction over this case as it involved a dispute between states about their respective boundaries. The dissenting justices believed that such disputes should be resolved through negotiation and agreement between the states themselves rather than by judicial intervention. They also expressed concern about setting a precedent where any state could bring another to court over boundary issues without first attempting to resolve them through other means. Furthermore, they disagreed with the majority's interpretation of historical documents used to determine the border in question, arguing instead for an approach based on more recent agreements and understandings between Texas and Louisiana.