Brown-Forman Distillers Corporation v. New York State Liquor Authority
United States Supreme Court
476 U.S. 573 (1986)
New York's Alcoholic Beverage Control Law (ABC law) barred distillers from selling liquor to in-state wholesalers at a price higher than the lowest price the distiller charged any out-of-state wholesaler. The New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA) (defendant) sought to revoke Brown-Forman Distillers Corporation's (Brown-Forman) (plaintiff) license after finding it violated the ABC law, and Brown-Forman challenged the law's constitutionality in New York state court, arguing it regulated interstate commerce by effectively controlling the prices distillers charged out-of-state. The state appellate courts rejected the challenge, and the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Whether a state statute violates the dormant Commerce Clause if it directly regulates commerce occurring wholly outside the state's own borders.