Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. Rice
434 U.S. 429 · Decided February 21, 1978 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. Rice was decided on February 21, 1978 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local business regulation” 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
- 434 U.S. 429 · 98 S. Ct. 787 · 54 L. Ed. 2d 664 · 1978 U.S. LEXIS 46
- Docket number
- 76-558
- Decided
- February 21, 1978
- Argued
- November 8, 1977
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- State or local business regulation
- 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)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Concurrence | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Concurrence | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Concurrence |
Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.
Full case caption
Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc., et al. v. Rice, Secretary, Department of Transportation of Wisconsin, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1977-032, docket 1977-032-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local business regulation”
- Carter v. MillerLaw held unconstitutional
- Exxon Corp. v. Governor of Maryland
- City of Philadelphia v. New JerseyLaw held unconstitutional
- Allied Structural Steel Co. v. SpannausLaw held unconstitutional
- Southern Overlying Carrier Chapter of the California Dump Truck Owners Association v. Public Utilities Commission of California
- Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
- Department of Revenue of Washington v. Association of Washington Stevedoring CompaniesAltered precedent
- National Geographic Society v. California Board of Equalization
- Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. BradyAltered precedent
- Boston Stock Exchange v. State Tax CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Hughes v. OklahomaAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Japan Line, Ltd. v. County of Los AngelesLaw 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
- Carter v. MillerLaw 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