National Bellas Hess, Inc. v. Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois
386 U.S. 753 · Decided May 8, 1967 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
National Bellas Hess, Inc. v. Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois was decided on May 8, 1967 by a vote of 6–3. 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 government tax” in the Economic Activity area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 386 U.S. 753 · 87 S. Ct. 1389 · 18 L. Ed. 2d 505 · 1967 U.S. LEXIS 2792
- Docket number
- 241
- Decided
- May 8, 1967
- Argued
- February 23, 1967
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Potter Stewart
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- 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
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
National Bellas Hess, Inc. v. Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois
SCDB identifiers: case 1966-090, docket 1966-090-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local government tax”
- Norfolk & Western Railway Co. v. Missouri State Tax Commission
- Whyy, Inc. v. Borough of GlassboroLaw held unconstitutional
- Dunbar-Stanley Studios, Inc. v. Alabama
- General Motors Corp. v. District of Columbia
- American Oil Co. v. NeillLaw held unconstitutional
- Reserve Life Insurance Co. v. BowersLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
- Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc. v. Hostetter
- Maryland v. Wirtz
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen v. Chicago
- Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Polar Ice Cream & Creamery Co. v. AndrewsLaw held unconstitutional
- Head v. New Mexico Board of Examiners in Optometry
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- United Gas Pipe Line Co. v. Federal Power Commission
- Bank of Marin v. England
- United States v. Acme Process Equipment Co.
- United States v. Demko
- Watkins v. Conway
- Walker v. Southern Railway Co.
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