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Trinova Corporation v. Michigan Department of Treasury

498 U.S. 358 · Decided February 19, 1991 · Supreme Court of the United States

Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.

At a glance

Trinova Corporation v. Michigan Department of Treasury was decided on February 19, 1991 by a vote of 6–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy 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

Case details

Citations
498 U.S. 358 · 111 S. Ct. 818 · 112 L. Ed. 2d 884 · 1991 U.S. LEXIS 842
Docket number
89-1106
Decided
February 19, 1991
Argued
October 1, 1990
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Affirmed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
Vote
6–2
Majority opinion
Anthony M. Kennedy
Opinion assigned by
William H. Rehnquist
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Legal provision
Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3 (interstate commerce clause)
Type of law
Constitution
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

JusticeVoteSeparate writing
Justice Byron R. WhiteMajority
Justice Thurgood MarshallMajority
Justice Harry A. BlackmunDissent
Chief Justice William H. RehnquistMajority
Justice John Paul StevensDissentWrote an opinion
Justice Sandra Day O'ConnorMajority
Justice Antonin ScaliaSpecial concurrenceWrote an opinion
Justice Anthony M. KennedyMajorityWrote an opinion

Did not participate: David H. Souter.

Full case caption

Trinova Corporation v. Michigan Department of Treasury

SCDB identifiers: case 1990-030, docket 1990-030-01.

Other cases on “State or local government tax”

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

Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)

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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