Arizona Public Service Co. v. Snead
441 U.S. 141 · Decided April 18, 1979 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Arizona Public Service Co. v. Snead was decided on April 18, 1979 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Potter Stewart wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local government tax” in the Economic Activity area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 441 U.S. 141 · 99 S. Ct. 1629 · 60 L. Ed. 2d 106 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 32
- Docket number
- 77-1810
- Decided
- April 18, 1979
- Argued
- February 26, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Potter Stewart
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- State or local government tax
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Tax Reform Act of 1976, 15 U.S.C.S. ss 391
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Arizona Public Service Co. et al. v. Snead, Director of Revenue Division, Taxation and Revenue Department of New Mexico, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-075, docket 1978-075-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local government tax”
- Japan Line, Ltd. v. County of Los AngelesLaw held unconstitutional
- Chase Manhattan Bank, N. A. v. Finance Administration of City of New York
- Montana v. United States
- First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Boston v. Tax Commission of Massachusetts
- Moorman Manufacturing Co. v. Bair
- Mobil Oil Corp. v. Commissioner of Taxes of Vermont
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System v. First Lincolnwood Corp.
- Marquette National Bank of Minneapolis v. First of Omaha Service Corp.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Pennzoil Producing Co.
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. Daniel
- Director v. Rasmussen
- Butner v. United States
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error