Carter v. Miller
434 U.S. 356 · Decided January 17, 1978 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Carter v. Miller was decided on January 17, 1978 by a vote of 4–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. The Justices were equally divided, which leaves the lower court's judgment in place without setting precedent. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local business regulation” in the Economic Activity area. SCDB records that the Court declared a municipal or other local ordinance unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 434 U.S. 356 · 98 S. Ct. 786 · 54 L. Ed. 2d 603 · 1978 U.S. LEXIS 55
- Docket number
- 76-1171
- Decided
- January 17, 1978
- Argued
- November 29, 1977
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Equally divided vote
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 4–4
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- State or local business regulation
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Held unconstitutional
- A municipal or other local ordinance
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Equally divided vote | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Equally divided vote |
Did not participate: Harry A. Blackmun.
Full case caption
Carter, Public Vehicle License Commissioner of Chicago v. Miller
SCDB identifiers: case 1977-027, docket 1977-027-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local business regulation”
- Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. RiceLaw held unconstitutional
- Southern Overlying Carrier Chapter of the California Dump Truck Owners Association v. Public Utilities Commission of California
- Exxon Corp. v. Governor of Maryland
- City of Philadelphia v. New JerseyLaw held unconstitutional
- Allied Structural Steel Co. v. SpannausLaw held unconstitutional
- Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- County Board of Arlington County v. Richards
- Southern Overlying Carrier Chapter of the California Dump Truck Owners Association v. Public Utilities Commission of California
- Adamo Wrecking Co. v. United States
- Pfizer Inc. v. Government of India
- Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. RiceLaw held unconstitutional
- J. W. Bateson Co., Inc. v. United States ex Rel. Board of Trustees of the National Automatic Sprinkler Industry Pension Fund
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