Massachusetts v. United States

Mr. Justice .Rehnquist,

with whom The Chief Justice joins, dissenting.

Petitioner, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, brought suit against the United States to recover a charge of $131.43 plus penalties and interest imposed upon it by reason of its use of a helicopter in connection with its state police force. The United States moved to dismiss petitioner’s complaint, and its motion was granted by the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed that judgment, but expressly chose to do so on a narrower ground than that relied upon by the…