Today in Supreme Court History: February 18

Bibles v. Oregon Natural Desert Ass’n, 519 U.S. 355 (decided February 18, 1997): Freedom of Information Act did not entitle environmental group to obtain mailing list of Bureau of Land Management’s newsletter “so that alternative information could be sent to them”

Robinson v. Shell Oil Co., 519 U.S. 337 (decided February 18, 1997): antiretaliation provision of Civil Rights Act of 1964 applied to post-employment actions (here, negative reference given by former employer against whom plaintiff, now seeking another job, had filed a racial discrimination complaint with the EEOC)

General Motors Corp. v. Tracy, 519 U.S. 278 (decided February 18, 1997): buyer of natural gas had standing to challenge state exemption of local distributors from sales and use taxes placed on sellers (the Court held that the exemption did not violate Dormant Commerce Clause or Equal Protection)

McMillan v. McNeill, 17 U.S. 209 (decided February 18, 1819): foreign bankruptcy not effective in this country; contract supposedly discharged there still enforceable here

Packard v. Banton, 264 U.S. 140 (decided February 18, 1924): upholds against Equal Protection attack New York statute requiring drivers for hire to obtain liability insurance; statute applied only to large cities and was relevant to public safety