United States v. Darby

United States v. Darby, 312 U.S. 100 (1941), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court.

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established federal minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Darby, a Georgia lumber manufacturer, was charged with violating the act. He challenged the law as exceeding Congress’s Commerce Clause power, arguing that manufacturing was a local activity. The company also challenged the prohibition on shipping goods made in violation of the act.

Significance

Justice Stone’s unanimous opinion overruled Hammer v. Dagenhart (1918) and upheld the FLSA in its entirety. The Court held that Congress could regulate working conditions in manufacturing because those conditions had a substantial effect on interstate commerce. Moreover, Congress could prohibit the interstate shipment of goods produced under substandard conditions. This decision confirmed the broad reach of federal commerce power and effectively eliminated constitutional limits on Congress’s ability to regulate economic activity.

Category

US Federal Case Law