United States Steel Corp. v. Multistate Tax Commission
434 U.S. 452 · Decided February 21, 1978 · 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
United States Steel Corp. v. Multistate Tax Commission was decided on February 21, 1978 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “National supremacy, state tax” in the Federalism area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 434 U.S. 452 · 98 S. Ct. 799 · 54 L. Ed. 2d 682 · 1978 U.S. LEXIS 58
- Docket number
- 76-635
- Decided
- February 21, 1978
- Argued
- October 11, 1977
- 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
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- National supremacy, state tax
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Legal provision
- Article I, Section 10, Paragraph 3 (compact clause)
- Type of law
- Constitution
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
United States Steel Corp. et al. v. Multistate Tax Commission et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1977-033, docket 1977-033-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “National supremacy, state tax”
- United States v. County of Fresno
- United States v. State Tax Commission of Mississippi
- Sullivan v. United States
- Davis v. Michigan Department of the TreasuryLaw held unconstitutional
- James B. Beam Distilling Co. v. Georgia
- Department of Revenue v. James B. Beam Distilling Co.Law held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 10, Paragraph 3 (compact clause)
- Cuyler v. Adams
- Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado
- New York v. New Jersey
- Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado
Same Term, same area (Federalism)
- General Atomic Co. v. Felter
- Ray v. Atlantic Richfield Co.
- Massachusetts v. United States
- Malone v. White Motor Corp.
- United States v. California
- Sears v. San Diego County District Council of Carpenters
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