Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Massachusetts
471 U.S. 724 · Decided June 3, 1985 · 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
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Massachusetts was decided on June 3, 1985 unanimously (8–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun 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
- 471 U.S. 724 · 105 S. Ct. 2380 · 85 L. Ed. 2d 728 · 1985 U.S. LEXIS 23
- Docket number
- 84-325
- Decided
- June 3, 1985
- Argued
- February 26, 1985
- 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
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Legal provision
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Type of law
- Federal 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 | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr..
Full case caption
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Massachusetts
SCDB identifiers: case 1984-107, docket 1984-107-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation”
- Hillsborough County v. Automated Medical Laboratories, Inc.
- Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. v. State Oil and Gas Board of Mississippi
- Wisconsin Department of Industry v. Gould Inc.
- Exxon Corp. v. Hunt
- Golden State Transit Corp. v. City of Los Angeles
- Brown v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bartenders International Union Local 54
Cases on the same legal provision: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Central States v. Central Transport, Inc.
- Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Russell
- Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
- Pilot Life Insurance Co. v. Dedeaux
- Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Taylor
- Laborers Health and Welfare Trust Fund for Northern California v. Advanced Lightweight Concrete Co., Inc.
Same Term, same area (Federalism)
- Lawrence County v. Lead-Deadwood School District No. 40-1Law held unconstitutional
- United States v. Maine
- United States v. Louisiana
- Bennett v. New Jersey
- Bennett v. Kentucky Department of Education
- Allis-Chalmers Corp. v. Lueck
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