Franchise Tax Board of California v. United States Postal Service
467 U.S. 512 · Decided June 11, 1984 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Franchise Tax Board of California v. United States Postal Service was decided on June 11, 1984 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation” in the Federalism area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 467 U.S. 512 · 104 S. Ct. 2549 · 81 L. Ed. 2d 446 · 1984 U.S. LEXIS 106
- Docket number
- 83-372
- Decided
- June 11, 1984
- Argued
- April 17, 1984
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Legal provision
- 39 U.S.C. § 401
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative 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 | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Full case caption
Franchise Tax Board of California v. United States Postal Service
SCDB identifiers: case 1983-122, docket 1983-122-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation”
- Michigan Canners & Freezers Association, Inc. v. Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Board
- Hayfield Northern Railroad Co., Inc. v. Chicago & North Western Transportation Co.
- Capital Cities Cable, Inc. v. Crisp
- Brown v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bartenders International Union Local 54
- Aloha Airlines, Inc. v. Director of Taxation of Hawaii
- Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Same Term, same area (Federalism)
- Aloha Airlines, Inc. v. Director of Taxation of Hawaii
- Pennhurst State School and Hospital v. HaldermanAltered precedent
- South-Central Timber Development, Inc. v. Wunnicke
- Michigan Canners & Freezers Association, Inc. v. Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Board
- Hayfield Northern Railroad Co., Inc. v. Chicago & North Western Transportation Co.
- Capital Cities Cable, Inc. v. Crisp
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