 Since the early 20th century , controversies have arisen regarding the accuracy of the monument 's placement . After the initial surveys , it was found that the borders did not always exactly follow the lines of meridian and parallel as had been intended . This is due to the primitive surveying technology available at the time . This discrepancy left the four states asking if the correct borders were the exact lines of meridian and parallel ( and if new , more accurate , surveys needed to be done ) , or if the markers placed during the initial surveys were now the actual border . This issue was resolved when New Mexico sued Colorado in 1919 , and in 1925 the Supreme Court ruled that the markers placed during the initial surveys were the actual borders , even if the markers were off in some locations ( this includes the Four Corners Monument ) . Today 's legal description of these border lines are based on the original markers , and not the written description of the borders created when the territories were formed . Because of this , the borders between these states are not perfectly straight and often zigzag . One example is the border between Colorado and Utah , where in one area the border jogs west about 1 @.@ 5 miles ( 2 @.@ 4 km ) from where it was intended to be placed . Because this error occurred in the original survey — which superseded the written description ( being simply the 32nd meridian west of Washington ) , the border set out by the markers remains the border between the two states . ( 38 ° 16 ′ 34 ″ N 109 ° 03 ′ 38 ″ W ) 
