General Motors Corporation, et al. v. Evert Romein et al. (503 U.S. 181)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided March 9, 1992 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 503 U.S. 181 · 112 S. Ct. 1105
- Decided
- March 9, 1992
- Term
- October Term 1991
- Vote
- 9–0
- Majority author
- Justice O'Connor
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome
- Petitioning party lost
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice O’Connor delivered the opinion of the Court. In 1987, the Michigan Legislature enacted a statute that had the effect of requiring petitioners General Motors Corporation (GM) and Ford Motor Company (Ford) to repay workers’ compensation benefits GM and Ford had withheld in reliance on a 1981 workers’ compensation statute. Petitioners challenge the provision of the statute mandating these retroactive payments on the ground that it violates the Contract Clause and the Due Process Clause of the Federal Constitution. I Since at least 1974, workers’ compensation law in Michigan has been the subject of legislative study and bitter debate. VanderLaan & Studley, Workers’ Compensation Reform: A Case Study of the Legislative Process in Michigan, 14 U. Mich. J. L. Ref. 451, 452-454 (1981). “Literally dozens of conflicting legislative proposals” were offered each year, and all were fought to a standstill by competing interest groups. Id., at 453. The legislative logjam was finally broken in 1980, when the Governor and four legislative leaders began a series of negotiations leading to an agreement on reforms. “Neither side was able to obtain everything it wanted — possibly a good indication of the degree of balance this compromise represents.” Id., at 458. Among other things, the 1980 legislation raised maximum weekly benefits to 90% of the state average weekly wage, and provided…
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