Today in Supreme Court History: December 17

Illinois Central R.R. Co. v. McKendree, 203 U.S. 514 (decided December 17, 1906): Secretary of Agriculture can’t make a regulation (here, a “quarantine line” from California to Maryland to control cattle infection) that affects interstate commerce without specific Congressional authority; regulation also affected intrastate commerce and being indivisible was void in its entirety

NLRB v. Saviar Mfg. Co., 245 U.S. 359 (decided December 17, 1973): certification of union voided where before certification election the union promised that anyone who voted for certification would have their initiation dues waived

Arlan’s Dept. Store of Louisville v. Kentucky, 371 U.S. 218 (decided December 17, 1962): dismisses First Amendment Establishment Clause objections to state statute prohibiting employing persons on Sunday; in dissent Douglas makes the point (obvious to us nowadays) that Judaism and Islam don’t use Sunday as the sabbath