United States et al. v. Champlin Refining Co. (341 U.S. 290)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided May 7, 1951 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 341 U.S. 290 · 71 S. Ct. 715
- Docket
- No. 433
- Argued
- March 8, 1951
- Decided
- May 7, 1951
- Term
- October Term 1950
- Vote
- 8–1
- Majority author
- Justice Clark
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome
- Petitioning party lost
- Ideological direction
- Conservative
How the Justices voted
- Majority
- Chief Justice Vinson, Justice Minton, Justice Clark (wrote), Justice R. H. Jackson, Justice Frankfurter (wrote a concurrence)
- Concurring in the judgment
- Justice Burton, Justice Douglas (wrote), Justice Reed
- Dissenting
- Justice Black (wrote)
Opinion excerpt
Mr. Justice Clark delivered the opinion of the Court. Section 1 of the Interstate Commerce Act provides that “common carriers” engaged in the “transportation” of oil or other commodities shall be subject to the regulatory requirements specified in other sections of the statute. In an earlier proceeding, this Court found that Champlin, as owner of a pipe line, was a “common carrier” within the meaning of § 1; and on the record there presented the Court upheld an I. C. C. order under § 19a (a)-(e) of the Act requiring the company to submit valuation data, maps, charts and other documents pertaining to its operations. Champlin Refining Co. v. United States, 329 U. S. 29 (1946). The present proceeding involves a subsequent I. C. C. order directing Champlin (1) to file annual, periodic and special reports, and to institute and maintain a uniform system of accounts applicable to pipe lines, both under § 20 of the Act; and (2) to publish and file schedules showing the rates and charges for interstate transportation of refined petroleum products, pursuant to § 6. A specially constituted three-judge District Court, with one member dissenting, refused to enforce the order on the ground that Champlin, at least for the purposes of §§ 6 and 20, is not within the class of carriers intended to be regulated by the Act. It held further that to impose the requirements of § 6 on Champlin would…
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