Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp.

Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp. is a 1976 Supreme Court case that addressed whether a state law regulating scrap metal prices was overly restrictive and thus violated the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Court ruled that states can regulate local markets, but such regulations cannot unduly burden interstate commerce. In this case, Maryland's price controls on scrap metal were found to discriminate against out-of-state businesses, impeding free trade across borders. The ruling clarified that state regulations must be carefully balanced to serve local interests without unfairly hindering commerce between states.