Heald v. Engler

OPINION

DAUGHTREY, Circuit Judge.

In this civil rights action brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the plaintiffs raise a constitutional challenge to Michigan’s alcohol distribution system, contending that state provisions differentiating between instate and out-of-state wineries violate the Commerce Clause. 1 Those regulations prohibit the direct shipment of alcoholic beverages from out-of-state wineries, while allowing in-state wineries to ship directly to consumers, provided that the in-state wineries comply with certain minimal regulatory requirements. The plaintiffs, who include wine…