October Term 2018 · Docket 18-96
Does Tennessee's residency rule for liquor licenses violate the Commerce Clause?
Tennessee requires out-of-state residents to live in the state for one year before buying a liquor license. Out-of-state retailers argue this rule discriminates against interstate commerce.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Dvoretzky argued the Twenty-First Amendment restored state powers over alcohol.
Mr. Franklin argued states have complete control over liquor distribution systems.
Mr. Phillips argued the history of alcohol regulation supports state residency rules.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-47 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-53 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-51
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Tennessee law requires a person to live in the state for one year before purchasing a liquor license. Out-of-state retailers claim this rule violates the Commerce Clause. Tennessee argues the Twenty-First Amendment grants states broad control over alcohol distribution.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 16, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
What each side wants
Out-of-state retailers want the Court to strike down the residency requirement.
Tennessee wants the Court to uphold the residency requirement.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
What each side says
Out-of-state retailers argue the rule discriminates against interstate commerce.
Tennessee argues the Twenty-First Amendment allows states to control alcohol distribution.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked the side that brought the case to clarify their position.
Justice Alito asked if a ten-year residency requirement would be constitutional.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-47 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-53 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-51
Why it matters
This case determines whether states can restrict who may buy liquor licenses. It affects interstate commerce in the alcohol industry. It defines the scope of state power under the Twenty-First Amendment.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-47 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-53 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-51
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-17
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.