Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. Brady
430 U.S. 274 · Decided March 7, 1977 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. Brady was decided on March 7, 1977 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local government tax” in the Economic Activity area. SCDB codes this decision as formally altering one or more of the Court's own precedents.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 430 U.S. 274 · 97 S. Ct. 1076 · 51 L. Ed. 2d 326 · 1977 U.S. LEXIS 56
- Docket number
- 76-29
- Decided
- March 7, 1977
- Argued
- January 19, 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
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- State or local government tax
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
- Type of law
- Constitution
- Altered precedent
- Yes — formally altered the Court's precedent
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal 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 | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. Brady, Chairman, Mississippi Tax Commission
SCDB identifiers: case 1976-064, docket 1976-064-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local government tax”
- National Geographic Society v. California Board of Equalization
- Boston Stock Exchange v. State Tax CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Diamond National Corp. v. State Board of Equalization
- Department of Revenue of Washington v. Association of Washington Stevedoring CompaniesAltered precedent
- Michelin Tire Corp. v. WagesAltered precedent
- First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Boston v. Tax Commission of Massachusetts
Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
- Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp.
- National League of Cities v. UseryAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. RiceLaw held unconstitutional
- Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. v. Cottrell
- City of Philadelphia v. New JerseyLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Boston Stock Exchange v. State Tax CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Brunswick Corp. v. Pueblo Bowl-O-Mat, Inc.
- United States Steel Corp. v. Fortner Enterprises, Inc.
- Piper v. Chris-Craft Industries, Inc.
- E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Train
- City of Philadelphia v. New Jersey
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