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National Meat Association v. Harris

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
10-224 9th Cir. Nov 9, 2011 Jan 23, 2012 9-0 Kagan OT 2011

Holding: The Federal Meat Inspection Act expressly preempts a California law regulating the treatment of non-ambulatory pigs at federal­ly inspected slaughterhouses.

Plain English Holding: A California law regulating the treatment of livestock that cannot walk (and which requires, for example, that such animals be euthanized immediately and not used for food) is invalid because it is trumped, or “preempted,” by a federal law regulating the treatment of livestock at slaughterhouses.

Judgment: Reversed, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on January 23, 2012.

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Briefs and Documents

Merits Briefs for the Petitioner

Amicus Briefs in Support of the Petitioner

Merits Briefs for the Respondents

Amicus Briefs in Support of the Respondents

 

Certiorari-stage documents