Malone v. White Motor Corp.

435 U.S. 497 · Decided April 3, 1978 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Malone v. White Motor Corp. was decided on April 3, 1978 by a vote of 4–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation” in the Federalism 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 J. Brennan Jr., Harry A. Blackmun.

Full case caption

Malone, Commissioner of Labor and Industry for Minnesota v. White Motor Corp. et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1977-062, docket 1977-062-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation”

• Douglas v. Seacoast Products, Inc.
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  431 U.S. 322Decided May 23, 19779–0Per curiam
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Cases on the same legal provision: National Labor Relations Act

• Sears v. San Diego County District Council of Carpenters
  436 U.S. 180Decided May 15, 19786–3John Paul Stevens
• National Labor Relations Board v. Local Union No. 103
  434 U.S. 335Decided January 17, 19786–3Byron R. White
• American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. v. Writers Guild of America
  437 U.S. 411Decided June 21, 19785–4Byron R. White
• Beth Israel Hospital v. National Labor Relations Board
  437 U.S. 483Decided June 22, 19789–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Eastex, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board
  437 U.S. 556Decided June 22, 19787–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• National Labor Relations Board v. Baylor University Medical Center
  439 U.S. 9Decided October 30, 19786–3Per curiam

Same Term, same area (Federalism)

• General Atomic Co. v. Felter
  434 U.S. 12Decided October 31, 19777–2Per curiam
• United States Steel Corp. v. Multistate Tax Commission
  434 U.S. 452Decided February 21, 19787–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Ray v. Atlantic Richfield Co.
  435 U.S. 151Decided March 6, 19786–3Byron R. White
• Massachusetts v. United States
  435 U.S. 444Decided March 29, 19786–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. California
  436 U.S. 32Decided May 15, 19785–3Potter Stewart
• Sears v. San Diego County District Council of Carpenters
  436 U.S. 180Decided May 15, 19786–3John Paul Stevens

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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