Kassel v. Consolidated Freightways Corporation of Delaware
450 U.S. 662 · Decided March 24, 1981 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Kassel v. Consolidated Freightways Corporation of Delaware was decided on March 24, 1981 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local business regulation” 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
- 450 U.S. 662 · 101 S. Ct. 1309 · 67 L. Ed. 2d 580 · 1981 U.S. LEXIS 17
- Docket number
- 79-1320
- Decided
- March 24, 1981
- Argued
- November 4, 1980
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- State or local business regulation
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
- Type of law
- Constitution
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Special concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Kassel, Director of Transportation, et al. v. Consolidated Freightways Corporation of Delaware
SCDB identifiers: case 1980-064, docket 1980-064-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local business regulation”
- Minnesota v. Clover Leaf Creamery Co.
- Reeves, Inc. v. Stake
- Lewis v. Bt Investment Managers, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- New England Power Co. v. New HampshireLaw held unconstitutional
- G.D. Searle & Co. v. Cohn
- Edgar v. Mite Corp.Law held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
- Western & Southern Life Insurance Co. v. State Board of Equalization of California
- Maryland v. LouisianaLaw held unconstitutional
- Commonwealth Edison Co. v. MontanaAltered precedent
- Merrion v. Jicarilla Apache Tribe
- Sporhase v. Nebraska ex Rel. DouglasAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Japan Line, Ltd. v. County of Los AngelesLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Environmental Protection Agency v. National Crushed Stone Association
- Potomac Electric Power Co. v. Director
- Minnesota v. Clover Leaf Creamery Co.
- Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System v. Investment Company Institute
- Steadman v. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Diamond v. Diehr
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