Home > Great American Court Cases > Northern Pipeline Co. v. Marathon Pipe Line Co.

Legal Citation: 458 U.S. 50 (1982)

Petitioner
Northern Pipeline Co.

Respondent
Marathon Pipe Line Co.

Petitioner's Claim
That an appellate court ruling that non-Article III bankruptcy courts are unconstitutional should be dismissed.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
John L. Devney

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Melvin I. Orenstein

Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr. (writing for the Court), Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist, John Paul Stevens

Justices Dissenting
Warren E. Burger, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Byron R. White

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision
28 June 1982

Decision
That Article I federal bankruptcy courts were unconstitutional.

Significance
Forced Congress to abandon its...