Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. v. Cottrell

424 U.S. 366 · Decided February 25, 1976 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. v. Cottrell was decided on February 25, 1976 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local business regulation” in the Economic Activity area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.

Full case caption

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. v. Cottrell, Health Officer of Mississippi

SCDB identifiers: case 1975-037, docket 1975-037-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “State or local business regulation”

• Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp.
  426 U.S. 794Decided June 24, 19766–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• City of New Orleans v. DukesAltered precedent
  427 U.S. 297Decided June 25, 19768–0Per curiam
• United States Trust Company of New York v. New JerseyLaw held unconstitutional
  431 U.S. 1Decided April 27, 19774–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
  432 U.S. 333Decided June 20, 19778–0Warren E. Burger
• Southern Overlying Carrier Chapter of the California Dump Truck Owners Association v. Public Utilities Commission of California
  434 U.S. 9Decided October 11, 19778–1Per curiam
• Carter v. MillerLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 356Decided January 17, 19784–4

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)

• National League of Cities v. UseryAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  426 U.S. 833Decided June 24, 19765–4William H. Rehnquist
• Fry v. United States
  421 U.S. 542Decided May 27, 19757–1Thurgood Marshall
• Colonial Pipeline Co. v. Traigle
  421 U.S. 100Decided April 28, 19757–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Boston Stock Exchange v. State Tax CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
  429 U.S. 318Decided January 12, 19779–0Byron R. White
• Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. BradyAltered precedent
  430 U.S. 274Decided March 7, 19779–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Standard Pressed Steel Co. v. Department of Revenue of Washington
  419 U.S. 560Decided January 22, 19759–0William O. Douglas

Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)

• Day & Zimmermann, Inc. v. Challoner
  423 U.S. 3Decided November 3, 19758–0Per curiam
• Transamerican Freight Lines, Inc. v. Brada Miller Freight Systems, Inc.
  423 U.S. 28Decided November 12, 19759–0Harry A. Blackmun
• American Foreign Steamship Co. v. Matise
  423 U.S. 150Decided December 16, 19758–0Thurgood Marshall
• Foremost-McKesson, Inc. v. Provident Securities Co.
  423 U.S. 232Decided January 13, 19768–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Michelin Tire Corp. v. WagesAltered precedent
  423 U.S. 276Decided January 14, 19768–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. Bornstein
  423 U.S. 303Decided January 14, 19765–3Potter Stewart

See all

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