Today in Supreme Court History: May 4, 1942
On May 4, 1942, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Wickard v. Filburn. The case centered on federal regulatory power under the Commerce Clause. It later became a landmark decision expanding Congress's authority to regulate economic activity.
- ▪Wickard v. Filburn was argued before the Supreme Court on May 4, 1942.
- ▪The case involved a farmer, Roscoe Filburn, who grew wheat for personal use, exceeding federal production quotas.
- ▪The Court ultimately ruled that even local, non-commercial activity could be regulated under the Commerce Clause if it affected interstate commerce.
- ▪This decision significantly broadened the scope of federal regulatory power.
- ▪Wickard v. Filburn is considered a foundational case in administrative and constitutional law.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Volokh Conspiracy Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent About The Volokh Conspiracy Editorial Independence Who we are Books Volokh Daily Email Archives Search DMCA RSS Politics Today in Supreme Court History: May 4, 1942 Josh Blackman | 5.4.2026 7:00 AM 5/4/1942: Wickard v. Filburn argued. #gform_wrapper_17[data-form-index="0"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="17_0"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35,…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Reason.com.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Reason.com
