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Supreme Court · Decisions

General Motors Corporation, et al. v. Evert Romein et al.

503 U.S. 181 · No. 90-1390 · 1991 term · Rehnquist Court

Decided Mar 9, 1992 · argued Dec 10, 1991

Economic activity · State or local government regulation, especially of business

Majority opinion: Sandra O'Connor

The voteMajority

9–09 in the majority, 0 in dissent

No dissent (9–0)

Affirmed. General Motors Corporation, et al. lost.

What this ruling means

Affirmed: the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Michigan Supreme Court, so it stands (sometimes with changes the Court made to it).

General Motors Corporation, et al. was the petitioner, the side that asked the Supreme Court to review the case. “Lost” means the Court did not give that side the result it asked for.

From the Supreme Court Database. A justice who agreed with the result but not the reasoning counts in the majority.

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Summary

The opening of the case’s Wikipedia article: what the case was about and what the Court held.

Wikipedia has no article on this case, so there is no summary.

Data notes

The text is Wikipedia’s (CC BY-SA 4.0), matched to the case by its citation, docket number or name and year, and is not checked against the opinion. The site keeps the article’s opening section, ending on its last full sentence. The one-sentence summary under the title is the Decisions list’s: Wikipedia’s own ruling sentence, or, tagged “AI-written”, one Claude wrote from this opening.

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How the justices voted

Each justice who took part, placed by their Martin–Quinn ideology score for the 1991 term. Filled: the 9 in the majority. Hollow: the 0 in dissent. Colour is the party of the president who appointed them.

More liberalMore conservativeMedianStevensBlackmunSouterWhiteO'ConnorKennedyRehnquistScaliaThomas

Majority(9)

Dissent(0)

  • None.
Data notes

Each justice’s vote and what they wrote are from the justice-centered file of the Supreme Court Database. “Wrote a concurrence” means the justice sided with the majority and wrote separately; a justice who dissented in part is counted on the side they took overall. A justice who wrote nothing is listed as joining their side.

Positions are each justice’s Martin–Quinn score for the case’s term, the same scores as the Ideology page: negative is more liberal, positive more conservative. A score sums up a justice’s votes across the whole term, so it says where they usually sit, not why they voted as they did here. The median line is the Court’s median justice that term.

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The parties

Who brought the case to the Court, who answered it, and how it got there.

Petitioner
General Motors Corporation, et al.Employer
Respondent
Evert Romein et al.Employee, or job applicant
Reached the Court by
Certiorari (the Court chose to hear it)
Data notes

The names are the two sides of the case’s title. The description under each is the Supreme Court Database’s category for that party, in its own wording. The petitioner is the side that asked the Supreme Court to review the decision below. “Why it was taken” appears only when the majority opinion says lower courts disagreed or were unsure about the question; reasons that would fit any case (“to resolve the question presented”, “an important question”) are left out.

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The law at issue

The law the Court was asked to apply, and the kind of power it used to decide.

Provision
Article I, Section 10, Paragraph 1 (contract clause)
Kind of law
Constitution
Decided by
Judicial review (state level)
Data notes

The Supreme Court Database codes the main constitutional provision, statute or court rule each case turned on, and the basis of the decision: judicial review of a federal or state law, interpreting a statute, supervising the lower courts, and so on. A case can rest on more than one. “Overruled” counts only where the majority opinion says so.

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Timeline

What happened at the Court and how the case got there, newest first.

  1. Mar 9, 1992DecidedDecided · Decided 9–0: affirmed. General Motors Corporation, et al. lost.
  2. Dec 10, 1991ArguedArgued · Oral argument before the Court.
  3. Not datedTaken upTaken up · The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case (certiorari).
  4. Not datedCourt belowCourt below · Began in and was decided by the Michigan Supreme Court.
Data notes

From the Supreme Court Database: the court the case began in, the court whose decision the Supreme Court reviewed and what that court did, how the case came to the Court, and the dates of argument and decision. The database does not date the steps in the lower courts. Court names are the database’s.

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Other decisions on the same issue

68 other argued cases since 1946 on state or local government regulation, especially of business, newest first.

  1. National Pork Producers Council v. Ross598 U.S. 356May 11, 2023 · 598 U.S. 356Economic activity5–45–4 band
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  6. American Trucking Associations, Inc. and Usf Holland, Inc. v. Michigan Public Service Commission et al.545 U.S. 429Jun 20, 2005 · 545 U.S. 429Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  7. Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of Michigan, et al. v. Eleanor Heald, et al.544 U.S. 460May 16, 2005 · 544 U.S. 460Economic activity5–45–4 band

  8. Michael Fitzgerald, Treasurer of Iowa v. Racing Association of Central Iowa et al.539 U.S. 103Jun 9, 2003 · 539 U.S. 103Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
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  10. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America v. Peter E. Walsh, Acting Commissioner, Maine Department of Human Services, et al.538 U.S. 644May 19, 2003 · 538 U.S. 644Economic activity6–36–3 band
  11. Yellow Transportation, Inc. v. Michigan, et al.537 U.S. 36Nov 5, 2002 · 537 U.S. 36Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  12. C & a Carbone, Inc., et al. v. Town of Clarkstown, New York511 U.S. 383May 16, 1994 · 511 U.S. 383Economic activity6–36–3 band

  13. Fort Gratiot Sanitary Landfill, Inc. v. Michigan Department of Natural Resources et al.504 U.S. 353Jun 1, 1992 · 504 U.S. 353Economic activity7–27–2 band
  14. Healy et al. v. the Beer Institute et al.491 U.S. 324Jun 19, 1989 · 491 U.S. 324Economic activity6–36–3 band
  15. Northwest Central Pipeline Corp. v. State Corporation Commission of Kansas et al.489 U.S. 493Mar 6, 1989 · 489 U.S. 493Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  16. CTS Corp. v. Dynamics Corporation of America481 U.S. 69Apr 21, 1987 · 481 U.S. 69Economic activity6–36–3 band
  17. Maine v. Taylor et al.477 U.S. 131Jun 24, 1986 · 477 U.S. 131Economic activity8–18–1 band

  18. Brown-Forman Distillers Corp. v. New York State Liquor Authority476 U.S. 573Jun 3, 1986 · 476 U.S. 573Economic activity5–36–3 band
  19. White, Mayor of Boston, et al. v. Massachusetts Council of Construction Employers, Inc., et al.460 U.S. 204Feb 28, 1983 · 460 U.S. 204Economic activity7–27–2 band
  20. Energy Reserves Group, Inc. v. Kansas Power & Light Co.459 U.S. 400Jan 24, 1983 · 459 U.S. 400Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  21. Rice, Director, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control of California v. Norman Williams Co. et al.458 U.S. 654Jul 1, 1982 · 458 U.S. 654Economic activity9–0Unanimous band

  22. G.D. Searle & Co. v. Cohn et al.455 U.S. 404Feb 24, 1982 · 455 U.S. 404Economic activity8–18–1 band
  23. New England Power Co. v. New Hampshire et al.455 U.S. 331Feb 24, 1982 · 455 U.S. 331Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  24. Kassel, Director of Transportation, et al. v. Consolidated Freightways Corporation of Delaware450 U.S. 662Mar 24, 1981 · 450 U.S. 662Economic activity6–36–3 band
  25. Minnesota v. Clover Leaf Creamery Co. et al.449 U.S. 456Jan 21, 1981 · 449 U.S. 456Economic activity7–18–1 band

  26. Reeves, Inc. v. Stake et al.447 U.S. 429Jun 19, 1980 · 447 U.S. 429Economic activity5–45–4 band

  27. Lewis, Comptroller of Florida v. BT Investment Managers, Inc., et al.447 U.S. 27Jun 9, 1980 · 447 U.S. 27Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
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  30. City of Philadelphia et al. v. New Jersey et al.437 U.S. 617Jun 23, 1978 · 437 U.S. 617Economic activity7–27–2 band

  31. Exxon Corp. et al. v. Governor of Maryland et al.437 U.S. 117Jun 14, 1978 · 437 U.S. 117Economic activity7–18–1 band

  32. Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc., et al. v. Rice, Secretary, Department of Transportation of Wisconsin, et al.434 U.S. 429Feb 21, 1978 · 434 U.S. 429Economic activity8–0Unanimous band
  33. Carter, Public Vehicle License Commissioner of Chicago v. Miller434 U.S. 356Jan 17, 1978 · 434 U.S. 356Economic activity4–45–4 band
  34. Hunt, Governor of North Carolina, et al. v. Washington State Apple Advertising Commission432 U.S. 333Jun 20, 1977 · 432 U.S. 333Economic activity8–0Unanimous band

  35. United States Trust Company of New York, Trustee v. New Jersey et al.431 U.S. 1Apr 27, 1977 · 431 U.S. 1Economic activity4–36–3 band

  36. City of New Orleans et al. v. Dukes, dba Louisiana Concessions427 U.S. 297Jun 25, 1976 · 427 U.S. 297Economic activity8–0Unanimous band
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  38. Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. v. Cottrell, Health Officer of Mississippi424 U.S. 366Feb 25, 1976 · 424 U.S. 366Economic activity8–0Unanimous band
  39. North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy v. Snyder's Drug Stores, Inc.414 U.S. 156Dec 5, 1973 · 414 U.S. 156Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
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  41. Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc., et al. v. Hostetter, Chairman, New York State Liquor Authority, et al.384 U.S. 35Apr 19, 1966 · 384 U.S. 35Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  42. City of El Paso v. Simmons379 U.S. 497Jan 18, 1965 · 379 U.S. 497Economic activity8–18–1 band
  43. Hudson Distributors, Inc., v. Eli Lilly & Co.377 U.S. 386Jun 1, 1964 · 377 U.S. 386Economic activity8–18–1 band
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  47. Ferguson, Attorney General of Kansas, et al. v. Skrupa, Doing Business As Credit Advisors372 U.S. 726Apr 22, 1963 · 372 U.S. 726Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
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  52. Gordon v. Texas.355 U.S. 369Jan 13, 1958 · 355 U.S. 369Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
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  54. Williamson, Attorney General of Oklahoma, et al. v. Lee Optical of Oklahoma, Inc. et al.348 U.S. 483Mar 28, 1955 · 348 U.S. 483Economic activity8–0Unanimous band

  55. Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Co. v. Wood et al., Members of the Arkansas Public Service Commission344 U.S. 157Dec 8, 1952 · 344 U.S. 157Economic activity5–45–4 band
  56. Buck et al. v. California343 U.S. 99Mar 10, 1952 · 343 U.S. 99Economic activity5–45–4 band
  57. Breard v. Alexandria341 U.S. 622Jun 4, 1951 · 341 U.S. 622Economic activity6–36–3 band

  58. Standard Oil Co. v. New Jersey341 U.S. 428May 28, 1951 · 341 U.S. 428Economic activity5–45–4 band
  59. California State Automobile Association Inter-Insurance Bureau v. Maloney, Insurance Commissioner341 U.S. 105Apr 23, 1951 · 341 U.S. 105Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  60. Dean Milk Co. v. City of Madison et al.340 U.S. 349Jan 15, 1951 · 340 U.S. 349Economic activity6–36–3 band
  61. Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Oklahoma et al.340 U.S. 190Dec 11, 1950 · 340 U.S. 190Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  62. Cities Service Gas Co. v. Peerless Oil & Gas Co. et al.340 U.S. 179Dec 11, 1950 · 340 U.S. 179Economic activity8–18–1 band
  63. California v. Zook et al.336 U.S. 725Apr 25, 1949 · 336 U.S. 725Economic activity5–45–4 band
  64. H. P. Hood & Sons, Inc. v. Du Mond, Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets336 U.S. 525Apr 4, 1949 · 336 U.S. 525Economic activity5–45–4 band

  65. Daniel, Attorney General, et al. v. Family Security Life Insurance Co. et al.336 U.S. 220Feb 28, 1949 · 336 U.S. 220Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  66. Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co. et al. v. Moore, Comptroller of the State of New York333 U.S. 541Mar 29, 1948 · 333 U.S. 541Economic activity6–36–3 band
  67. Seaboard Air Line Railroad Co. v. Daniel, Attorney General, et al.333 U.S. 118Feb 16, 1948 · 333 U.S. 118Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
  68. Steele v. General Mills, Inc.329 U.S. 433Jan 6, 1947 · 329 U.S. 433Economic activity9–0Unanimous band
Data notes

Every other orally argued case with a clear vote, from the 1946 term on, that the Supreme Court Database files under the same issue as this one. The database gives each case one issue from a list of about 270 (abortion, search and seizure of vehicles, the death penalty, and so on), whatever law it turned on.

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Official record

Read the full opinion on Justia and the argument audio on Oyez. Case data from the Supreme Court Database, Version 2026 Release 01, through the 2025 term.