Colonial Pipeline Co. v. Traigle

421 U.S. 100 · Decided April 28, 1975 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Colonial Pipeline Co. v. Traigle was decided on April 28, 1975 by a vote of 7–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local government tax” in the Economic Activity area.

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: William O. Douglas.

Full case caption

Colonial Pipeline Co. v. Traigle, Collector of Revenue of Louisiana

SCDB identifiers: case 1974-084, docket 1974-084-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “State or local government tax”

• Gurley v. Rhoden
  421 U.S. 200Decided May 12, 19758–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Austin v. New HampshireLaw held unconstitutional
  420 U.S. 656Decided March 19, 19757–1Thurgood Marshall
• Standard Pressed Steel Co. v. Department of Revenue of Washington
  419 U.S. 560Decided January 22, 19759–0William O. Douglas
• Michelin Tire Corp. v. WagesAltered precedent
  423 U.S. 276Decided January 14, 19768–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• City of Pittsburgh v. Alco Parking Corp.
  417 U.S. 369Decided June 10, 19749–0Byron R. White
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  417 U.S. 62Decided May 20, 19749–0Potter Stewart

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Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)

• Fry v. United States
  421 U.S. 542Decided May 27, 19757–1Thurgood Marshall
• United States v. Mazurie
  419 U.S. 544Decided January 21, 19759–0William H. Rehnquist
• Allenberg Cotton Co., Inc. v. Pittman
  419 U.S. 20Decided November 19, 19748–1William O. Douglas
• Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. v. Cottrell
  424 U.S. 366Decided February 25, 19768–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp.
  426 U.S. 794Decided June 24, 19766–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• National League of Cities v. UseryAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  426 U.S. 833Decided June 24, 19765–4William H. Rehnquist

Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)

• Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., Inc.
  419 U.S. 186Decided December 16, 19747–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Bowman Transportation, Inc. v. Arkansas-Best Freight System, Inc.
  419 U.S. 281Decided December 23, 19749–0William O. Douglas
• Kelley v. Southern Pacific Co.
  419 U.S. 318Decided December 23, 19746–3Thurgood Marshall
• Standard Pressed Steel Co. v. Department of Revenue of Washington
  419 U.S. 560Decided January 22, 19759–0William O. Douglas
• Train v. City of New York
  420 U.S. 35Decided February 18, 19759–0Byron R. White
• Train v. Campaign Clean Water, Inc.
  420 U.S. 136Decided February 18, 19759–0Per curiam

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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