Minnesota District Court Strikes Law Requiring Minnesota Wine be Made From Minnesota Grapes

After a remand from the 8th Circuit, the district court in Minnesota struck the state law that provides advantages to wineries who made their wine primarily from Minnesota grapes.   The opinion by Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright on competing motions for summary judgement avoided discussion of the 21st Amendment and found strict scrutiny appropriate due to…Read More

Mississippi Case Not Heading to Supreme Court, Yet.

The time for an appeal to the United States Supreme Court has passed in the Wine Express matter in Mississippi state courts.  As such, this matter will return to lower courts for additional proceedings as a result of the Attorney General’s sting and enforcement actions against out of state retailers for illegally selling alcohol into…Read More

13th Annual Center for Alcohol Policy Conference Moved Online

Alas, another event is impacted by COVID. The 13th Annual Center for Alcohol Policy Law and Policy Conference will take place virtually over the course of four Wednesdays in September. Topics include discussions of the alcohol law cases found on this website. Please find more information and register here. (Previous Post) Save the Date! Center…Read More

The United States Supreme Court Denies Total Wine’s Request for Certiorari on Challenge to Connecticut’s Alcohol Pricing Regulations

The Supreme Court issued orders this morning from its recent conference and has denied a review of the 2nd Circuit’s decision upholding Connecticut’s alcohol pricing regulations from attack by Total Wine.   This resolves the most high profile antitrust challenge to state alcohol laws currently in the court system. The Supreme Court’s order can be found…Read More

8th Circuit Upholds Striking Of Missouri Tied House Law and Advertising Regulation as Violation of First Amendment

In a relatively short decision, the 8th Circuit upheld the district court decision striking a Missouri statute and two regulations related to advertising the prices of alcohol. The fourteen page opinion was written by Circuit Judge Jane Kelly.  She agreed with the district court that the state of Missouri had not proven its case for…Read More