Allied Structural Steel Co. v. Spannaus

438 U.S. 234 · Decided June 26, 1978 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Allied Structural Steel Co. v. Spannaus was decided on June 26, 1978 by a vote of 5–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Potter Stewart wrote the opinion 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

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Harry A. Blackmun.

Full case caption

Allied Structural Steel Co. v. Spannaus, Attorney General of Minnesota, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1977-146, docket 1977-146-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “State or local business regulation”

• City of Philadelphia v. New JerseyLaw held unconstitutional
  437 U.S. 617Decided June 23, 19787–2Potter Stewart
• Exxon Corp. v. Governor of Maryland
  437 U.S. 117Decided June 14, 19787–1John Paul Stevens
• Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. RiceLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 429Decided February 21, 19788–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Carter v. MillerLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 356Decided January 17, 19784–4
• Marquette National Bank of Minneapolis v. First of Omaha Service Corp.
  439 U.S. 299Decided December 18, 19789–0William J. Brennan Jr.
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  434 U.S. 9Decided October 11, 19778–1Per curiam

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Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 10, Paragraph 1 (contract clause)

• Barrows v. Jackson
  346 U.S. 249Decided June 15, 19536–1Sherman Minton
• Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. v. Phillips
  332 U.S. 168Decided June 23, 19479–0Felix Frankfurter

Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)

• County Board of Arlington County v. Richards
  434 U.S. 5Decided October 11, 19778–1Per curiam
• Southern Overlying Carrier Chapter of the California Dump Truck Owners Association v. Public Utilities Commission of California
  434 U.S. 9Decided October 11, 19778–1Per curiam
• Adamo Wrecking Co. v. United States
  434 U.S. 275Decided January 10, 19785–4William H. Rehnquist
• Pfizer Inc. v. Government of India
  434 U.S. 308Decided January 11, 19785–3Potter Stewart
• Carter v. MillerLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 356Decided January 17, 19784–4
• Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. RiceLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 429Decided February 21, 19788–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.

See all

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