Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Massachusetts

Decided June 3, 1985. Harry Andrew Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 84-325 · 471 U.S. 724 (1985) · Cited 1,645 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 8–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. · 463 U.S. 85 (1983)
• San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garmon · 359 U.S. 236 (1959)
• Lodge 76, International Ass'n of MacHinists & Aerospace Workers v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission · 427 U.S. 132 (1976)
• Malone v. White Motor Corp. · 435 U.S. 497 (1978)
• Barrentine v. Arkansas-Best Freight System, Inc. · 450 U.S. 728 (1981)
• Belknap, Inc. v. Hale · 463 U.S. 491 (1983)
• Local 20, Teamsters, Chauffeurs & Helpers Union v. Morton · 377 U.S. 252 (1964)
• Jones v. Rath Packing Co. · 430 U.S. 519 (1977)
• Alessi v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. · 451 U.S. 504 (1981)
• Group Life & Health Insurance v. Royal Drug Co. · 440 U.S. 205 (1979)
• Retail Clerks International Ass'n, Local 1625 v. Schermerhorn · 375 U.S. 96 (1963)
• California State Automobile Ass'n Inter-Insurance Bureau v. Maloney · 341 U.S. 105 (1951)
• Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co. · 415 U.S. 36 (1974)
• Hines v. Davidowitz · 312 U.S. 52 (1941)
• Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n v. De La Cuesta · 458 U.S. 141 (1982)
• Park 'N Fly, Inc. v. Dollar Park & Fly, Inc. · 469 U.S. 189 (1985)
• Amalgamated Ass'n of Street, Electric Railway & Motor Coach Employees of America v. Lockridge · 403 U.S. 274 (1971)
• Garner v. Teamsters, Chauffeurs & Helpers Local Union No. 776 · 346 U.S. 485 (1953)
• Allied Chemical & Alkali Workers of America, Local Union No. 1 v. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. · 404 U.S. 157 (1971)
• Securities & Exchange Commission v. National Securities, Inc. · 393 U.S. 453 (1969)
• De Canas v. Bica · 424 U.S. 351 (1976)
• Union Labor Life Insurance v. Pireno · 458 U.S. 119 (1982)
• Allen-Bradley Local No. 1111 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 315 U.S. 740 (1942)
• Day-Brite Lighting, Inc. v. Missouri · 342 U.S. 421 (1952)
• New York Telephone Co. v. New York State Department of Labor · 440 U.S. 519 (1979)
• Brown v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bartenders International Union Local 54 · 468 U.S. 491 (1984)
• Hoopeston Canning Co. v. Cullen · 318 U.S. 313 (1943)
• Local 24, International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. Oliver · 358 U.S. 283 (1959)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Nash-Finch Co. · 404 U.S. 138 (1971)
• Algoma Plywood & Veneer Co. v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 336 U.S. 301 (1949)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Rush Prudential HMO, Inc. v. Moran · 536 U.S. 355 (2002)
• Unum Life Insurance Co. of America v. Ward · 526 U.S. 358 (1999)
• Fort Halifax Packing Co. v. Coyne · 482 U.S. 1 (1987)
• FMC Corp. v. Holliday · 498 U.S. 52 (1990)
• Golden State Transit Corp. v. City of Los Angeles · 475 U.S. 608 (1986)
• Livadas v. Bradshaw · 512 U.S. 107 (1994)
• John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance v. Harris Trust & Savings Bank · 510 U.S. 86 (1993)
• Morales v. Trans World Airlines, Inc. · 504 U.S. 374 (1992)
• District of Columbia v. Greater Washington Board of Trade · 506 U.S. 125 (1992)
• Building & Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District v. Associated Builders & Contractors of Massachusetts/Rhode Island, Inc. · 507 U.S. 218 (1993)
• New York State Conference of Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans v. Travelers Insurance · 514 U.S. 645 (1995)
• MacKey v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc. · 486 U.S. 825 (1988)
• United Haulers Ass'n v. Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority · 550 U.S. 330 (2007)
• Gobeille v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. · 577 U.S. 312 (2016)
• Chamber of Commerce of United States v. Brown · 554 U.S. 60 (2008)
• Brown v. Pro Football, Inc. · 518 U.S. 231 (1996)
• Pilot Life Insurance v. Dedeaux · 481 U.S. 41 (1987)
• California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement v. Dillingham Construction, N. A. · 519 U.S. 316 (1997)
• Gonzales v. Oregon · 546 U.S. 243 (2006)
• De Buono v. NYSA-ILA Medical & Clinical Services Fund Ex Rel. Bowers · 520 U.S. 806 (1997)
• Kentucky Assn. of Health Plans, Inc. v. Miller · 538 U.S. 329 (2003)
• Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Taylor · 481 U.S. 58 (1987)
• Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr · 518 U.S. 470 (1996)
• McDonald v. City of Chicago · 561 U.S. 742 (2010)
• Ingersoll-Rand Co. v. McClendon · 498 U.S. 133 (1990)
• Lingle v. Norge Division of Magic Chef, Inc. · 486 U.S. 399 (1988)
• Barnett Bank of Marion County, N. A. v. Nelson · 517 U.S. 25 (1996)
• Massachusetts v. Morash · 490 U.S. 107 (1989)
• Schneidewind v. ANR Pipeline Co. · 485 U.S. 293 (1988)
• United States Department of Treasury v. Fabe · 508 U.S. 491 (1993)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).