City of Philadelphia v. New Jersey (1977)
- Docket
- 77-404
- Decided
- 1977-01-01
Summary
Question: Did New Jersey's waste importation law violate the Commerce Clause? Conclusion: Yes. The Court held that the law violated the principle of nondiscrimination as it treated out-of-state waste differently than waste produced within the state. Since New Jersey could not demonstrate a legitimate reason for distinguishing between foreign and domestically produced waste, it was clear to the Court that the state had "overtly moved to slow or freeze the flow of commerce for protectionist reasons."