Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of the United States, Inc., et al. v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. et al.

Decided June 24, 1983. Byron Raymond White delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 82-354 · 463 U.S. 29 (1983) · Cited 8,453 times

Holding

NHTSA's rescission of the passive restraint requirement in Modified Standard 208 was arbitrary and capricious; the agency failed to present an adequate basis and explanation for rescinding the requirement and must either consider the matter further or adhere to or amend the Standard along lines which its analysis supports.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court. Read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 9–0.

“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.

• Burlington Truck Lines, Inc. v. United States · 371 U.S. 156 (1962)
• Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. · 435 U.S. 519 (1978)
• Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe · 401 U.S. 402 (1971)
• Securities & Exchange Commission v. Chenery Corp. · 332 U.S. 194 (1947)
• Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. Wichita Board of Trade · 412 U.S. 800 (1973)
• American Textile Manufacturers Institute, Inc. v. Donovan · 452 U.S. 490 (1981)
• Bowman Transportation, Inc. v. Arkansas-Best Freight System, Inc. · 419 U.S. 281 (1974)
• Camp v. Pitts · 411 U.S. 138 (1973)
• Permian Basin Area Rate Cases · 390 U.S. 747 (1968)
• Bob Jones University v. United States · 461 U.S. 574 (1983)
• Haig v. Agee · 453 U.S. 280 (1981)
• Federal Trade Commission v. Sperry & Hutchinson Co. · 405 U.S. 233 (1972)
• Industrial Union Dept., AFL-CIO v. American Petroleum Institute · 448 U.S. 607 (1980)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Metropolitan Life Insurance · 380 U.S. 438 (1965)
• American Trucking Associations, Inc. v. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. · 387 U.S. 397 (1967)

Cited by

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

• Department of Commerce v. New York · 588 U.S. 752 (2019)
• Federal Communications Commission v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. · 556 U.S. 502 (2009)
• Ohio v. Environmental Protection Agency · 603 U.S. 279 (2024)
• Geier v. American Honda Motor Co. · 529 U.S. 861 (2000)
• Verizon Communications Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission · 535 U.S. 467 (2002)
• Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro · 579 U.S. 211 (2016)
• National Ass'n of Home Builders v. Defenders of Wildlife · 551 U.S. 644 (2007)
• United States v. O'Hagan · 521 U.S. 642 (1997)
• Bowen v. American Hospital Assn. · 476 U.S. 610 (1986)
• Michigan v. Envtl. Prot. Agency · 576 U.S. 743 (2015)
• Biden v. Texas · 597 U.S. 785 (2022)
• Rust v. Sullivan · 500 U.S. 173 (1991)
• Fed. Energy Regulatory Comm'n v. Elec. Power Supply Ass'n · 577 U.S. 260 (2016)
• Biden v. Missouri · 595 U.S. 87 (2022)
• FDA v. Wages and White Lion Investments, LLC · 604 U.S. 542 (2025)
• Food & Drug Administration v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. · 529 U.S. 120 (2000)
• Thomas Jefferson University v. Shalala · 512 U.S. 504 (1994)
• Kisor v. Wilkie · 588 U.S. 558 (2019)
• Judulang v. Holder · 565 U.S. 42 (2011)
• American Hospital Ass'n v. National Labor Relations Board · 499 U.S. 606 (1991)
• B&B Hardware, Inc. v. Hargis Industries, Inc. · 575 U.S. 138 (2015)
• Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors · 603 U.S. 799 (2024)
• National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. v. Brand X Internet Services · 545 U.S. 967 (2005)
• Franklin v. Massachusetts · 505 U.S. 788 (1992)
• Jean v. Nelson · 472 U.S. 846 (1985)
• Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo · 603 U.S. 369 (2024)
• National Railroad Passenger Corporation v. Boston & Maine Corp. · 503 U.S. 407 (1992)
• New York v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · 535 U.S. 1 (2002)
• FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project · 592 U.S. 414 (2021)
• Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County · 605 U.S. 168 (2025)

Official text

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

Explore from here

Byron Raymond White’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1983). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-08-15. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).