Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Mississippi
456 U.S. 742 · Decided June 1, 1982 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Mississippi was decided on June 1, 1982 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “National supremacy, public utilities” in the Federalism area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 456 U.S. 742 · 102 S. Ct. 2126 · 72 L. Ed. 2d 532 · 1982 U.S. LEXIS 38
- Docket number
- 80-1749
- Decided
- June 1, 1982
- Argued
- January 19, 1982
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- National supremacy, public utilities
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Legal provision
- Tenth Amendment
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission et al. v. Mississippi et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1981-102, docket 1981-102-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “National supremacy, public utilities”
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen v. Chicago
- Verizon Md. Inc. v. Public Service Comm'n of Md.
- Federal Maritime Commission v. South Carolina State Ports Authority
- Central Virginia Community College v. Bernard KatzAltered precedent
- City of Tacoma v. Taxpayers of Tacoma
- City of Chicago v. AtchisonLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Tenth Amendment
- United Transportation Union v. Long Island Rail Road Co.
- Rebecca McDowell Cook v. Donald J. Gralike and Mike HarmanLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Federalism)
- Ridgway v. Ridgway
- United States v. Louisiana
- California ex Rel. State Lands Commission v. United States
- Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan Association v. de La Cuesta
- Sporhase v. Nebraska ex Rel. DouglasAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
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