Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
New York granted an exclusive steamboat monopoly to operate in its waters. The Supreme Court ruled that the federal government’s power under the Commerce Clause trumped the state-granted monopoly.

3) Why It Mattered
The decision gave a broad interpretation of “commerce among the states” and affirmed that Congress has the final say over interstate commerce.

United States v. Carolene Products Co. (1938)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Congress banned the interstate shipment of “filled milk” (milk mixed with vegetable oils). Carolene Products challenged the law, arguing it was unconstitutional economic regulation. The Supreme Court upheld the statute under the Commerce Clause and adopted a very deferential standard of review for economic legislation.

3) Why It Mattered
This case is famous for Footnote Four, which suggested that while economic regulations get judicial deference, stricter scrutiny may be required for laws that restrict political rights, target minorities, or interfere with the democratic process.

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) required most Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty. Opponents argued it exceeded Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause. The Supreme Court ruled that the mandate was unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause but upheld it as a valid exercise of Congress’s taxing power. The Court also struck down the mandatory expansion of Medicaid as coercive, making it optional for states.