| Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising Commission | ||||||
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Supreme Court of the United States |
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| Argued February 22, 1977 Decided June 20, 1977 |
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| Full case name | Hunt, Governor of North Carolina, et al. v. Washington State Apple Advertising Commission | |||||
| Prior history | Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina | |||||
| Subsequent history | 408 F. Supp. 857, affirmed. | |||||
| Holding | ||||||
| North Carolina violated the Commerce Clause by discriminating against out-of-state apple growers. | ||||||
| Court membership | ||||||
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| Case opinions | ||||||
| Majority | Burger, joined by unanimous court | |||||
| Rehnquist took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. | ||||||
| Laws applied | ||||||
| U.S. Const. art. I § 8 cl. 3 (Commerce Clause) | ||||||
Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising Commission, 432 U.S. 333 (1977)[1] was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously struck down a North Carolina law requiring all importers of apples to label their containers with United States Department of Agriculture grade, and prohibiting the display of state grades. Washington state, a major apple producer, used apple standards superior to those used by the USDA. The Court found that North Carolina's law violated the Commerce Clause by needlessly discriminating against Washington state apple producers while working to the advantage of local North Carolina apple growers.
John R. Jordan, Jr., argued the cause for Hunt. With him on the brief were Rufus L. Edmisten, Attorney General of North Carolina, and Millard R. Rich, Jr., Deputy Attorney General. Slade Gorton, Attorney General of Washington, argued the cause for the Washington State Apple Advertising Commission. With him on the brief were Edward B. Mackie, Deputy Attorney General, and James Arneil, Special Assistant Attorney General.