United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

McGoldrick v. Gulf Oil Corp., 309 U.S. 2 (1940)

McGoldrick v. Gulf Oil Corp.

No. 473

Argued January 2, 3, 1940

Decided January 15, 1940

309 U.S. 2

CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW YORK

Syllabus

Jurisdiction to review the judgment of a state court cannot be entertained if it does not affirmatively appear that the decision did not rest upon an adequate nonfederal ground.

Certiorari, 308 U.S. 545, to review 281 N.Y. 647; 22 N.E.2d 480, dismissed.

Page 309 U. S. 3

PER CURIAM.

The City of New York, through its Comptroller, assessed a tax against respondent with respect to sales of oil manufactured in that city in a bonded manufacturing warehouse, Class 6, established pursuant to the customs laws of the United States, the crude oil having been imported from Venezuela and the sales of the manufactured oil having been made to supply fuel to vessels engaged exclusively in foreign commerce. The Appellate Division, First Department, annulled the determination of the Comptroller considering the tax to be a burden upon foreign commerce. 256 App.Div. 207, 9 N.Y.S.2d 544. The Court of Appeals affirmed the order of the Appellate Division, without opinion. 281 N.Y. 647, 22 N.E.2d 480. Certiorari was granted, 308 U.S. 545.

In the absence of an explicit statement by the Court of Appeals that it annulled the assessment of the tax solely because of violation of the federal Constitution, we are unable to find that the decision of the highest court of the State did not rest upon an adequate nonfederal ground. Jud.Code, § 237(b), 28 U.S.C. § 344(b); Lynch v. New York ex rel. Pierson, 293 U. S. 52; Honeyman v. Hanan, 300 U. S. 14; New York City v. Central Savings Bank, 306 U.S. 661.

The writ of certiorari is dismissed for the want of jurisdiction.

Dismissed.