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McKesson Corporation v. Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

496 U.S. 18 · Decided June 4, 1990 · 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

McKesson Corporation v. Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco was decided on June 4, 1990 unanimously (9–0). 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 government tax” in the Economic Activity area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
496 U.S. 18 · 110 S. Ct. 2238 · 110 L. Ed. 2d 17 · 1990 U.S. LEXIS 2826
Docket number
88-192
Decided
June 4, 1990
Argued
March 22, 1989
Reargued
December 6, 1989
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
William J. Brennan Jr.
Opinion assigned by
William H. Rehnquist
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Legal provision
Eleventh Amendment
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Decision direction (SCDB)
Conservative what this means

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

McKesson Corporation v. Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Department of Business Regulation of Florida, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1989-094, docket 1989-094-01.

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Cases on the same legal provision: Eleventh Amendment

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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