Federal Maritime Commission v. Seatrain Lines, Inc.
411 U.S. 726 · Decided May 14, 1973 · 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 Maritime Commission v. Seatrain Lines, Inc. was decided on May 14, 1973 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Boat transportation regulation” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 411 U.S. 726 · 93 S. Ct. 1773 · 36 L. Ed. 2d 620 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 127
- Docket number
- 71-1647
- Decided
- May 14, 1973
- Argued
- March 21, 1973
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Boat transportation regulation
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 46 U.S.C. § 814
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Full case caption
Federal Maritime Commission v. Seatrain Lines, Inc., et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1972-115, docket 1972-115-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Boat transportation regulation”
- Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft v. Federal Maritime Commission
- Massachusetts Trustees of Eastern Gas & Fuel Associates v. United States
- Federal Maritime Board v. Isbrandtsen Company, Inc.
- Pan-Atlantic Steamship Corp. v. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co.
- Interstate Commerce Commission v. Mechling
- United States v. Seatrain Lines, Inc.
Cases on the same legal provision: 46 U.S.C. § 814
- Federal Maritime Commission v. Pacific Maritime Assn.
- Federal Maritime Commission v. Aktiebolaget Svenska Amerika Linien
- Carnation Co. v. Pacific Westbound Conference
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Gottschalk v. Benson
- Evco v. JonesLaw held unconstitutional
- Union Oil Co. of California v. the San Jacinto
- Executive Jet Aviation, Inc. v. City of Cleveland
- Heublein, Inc. v. South Carolina Tax Commission
- Ricci v. Chicago Mercantile Exchange
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