This ebook contains the full text of the Court's opinion in United States v. Carolene Products. The case is number 17 on the list of most cited US Supreme Court decisions.
In Carolene Products, the Court applied minimal scrutiny to the economic regulation under review and upheld its constitutionality. This level of scrutiny is often referred to as rational basis review. The regulation under review has to be rationally related to a legitimate government purpose. In Carolene Products, the court upheld an economic regulation that was challenged on due process grounds. It was also argued that the law exceeded Congressional power under the Commerce Clause. It prohibited the shipping in interstate commerce of skimmed milk compounded with filler so as to resemble milk or cream.
In its famous footnote four, the opinion proposes different levels of review for certain rights that are protected by the constitution. The footnote also suggests that a presumption of constitutionality should not apply to laws that impacted "discrete and insular minorities" or laws that appeared to contravene the Bill of Rights.
United States v. Carolene Products Co., 304 US0 144 (1938)
In Carolene Products, the Court applied minimal scrutiny to the economic regulation under review and upheld its constitutionality. This level of scrutiny is often referred to as rational basis review. The regulation under review has to be rationally related to a legitimate government purpose. In Carolene Products, the court upheld an economic regulation that was challenged on due process grounds. It was also argued that the law exceeded Congressional power under the Commerce Clause. It prohibited the shipping in interstate commerce of skimmed milk compounded with filler so as to resemble milk or cream.
In its famous footnote four, the opinion proposes different levels of review for certain rights that are protected by the constitution. The footnote also suggests that a presumption of constitutionality should not apply to laws that impacted "discrete and insular minorities" or laws that appeared to contravene the Bill of Rights.
United States v. Carolene Products Co., 304 US0 144 (1938)
