Norfolk & Western Railway Company v. American Train Dispatchers' Association
499 U.S. 117 · Decided March 19, 1991 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Norfolk & Western Railway Company v. American Train Dispatchers' Association was decided on March 19, 1991 by a vote of 7–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Railroad regulation” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 499 U.S. 117 · 111 S. Ct. 1156 · 113 L. Ed. 2d 95 · 1991 U.S. LEXIS 1709
- Docket number
- 89-1027
- Decided
- March 19, 1991
- Argued
- December 3, 1990
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Anthony M. Kennedy
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Railroad regulation
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Interstate Commerce Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority |
Full case caption
Norfolk & Western Railway Company et al. v. American Train Dispatchers' Association et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1990-045, docket 1990-045-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Railroad regulation”
- Interstate Commerce Commission v. Texas
- National Railroad Passenger Corporation v. Atchison
- Southern Pacific Transportation Co. v. Commercial Metals Co.
- Ralston Purina Co. v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co.
- Interstate Commerce Commission v. Oregon Pacific Industries, Inc.
- National Railroad Passenger Corp. v. National Association of Railroad Passengers
Cases on the same legal provision: Interstate Commerce Act
- Maislin Industries, U.S., Inc. v. Primary Steel, Inc.
- Peter C. Reiter v. Langdon M. Cooper
- Security Services, Inc. v. Kmart Corporation
- Interstate Commerce Commission v. Transcon Lines
- Hayfield Northern Railroad Co., Inc. v. Chicago & North Western Transportation Co.
- Thurston Motor Lines, Inc. v. Jordan K. Rand, Ltd.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Mercedel W. Miles v. Apex Marine Corporation
- Jay Palmer v. BRG of Georgia, Inc.
- Arcadia v. Ohio Power Company
- Coy R. Grogan v. Frank J. Garner, Jr.
- McDermott International, Inc. v. Jon C. Wilander
- Trinova Corporation v. Michigan Department of Treasury
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