Chinatown Neighborhood Association v. Harris
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
794 F.3d 1136 (2015)

- Written by Alex Ruskell, JD
Facts
California passed a Shark Fin Law that made it illegal to possess, sell, or distribute shark fins. Chinatown Neighborhood Association (plaintiff) sued, arguing that the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act preempted the Shark Fin Law because the law interfered with federal management of shark fishing. Chinatown also argued that the law violated the Commerce Clause because it interfered with interstate commerce in shark fins between California and other states. The court ruled in favor of California, and Chinatown appealed. Chinatown argued that the act made some fishing for sharks legal, thus bringing the Shark Fin Law’s fin ban into direct conflict with the act.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hurwitz, J.)
Dissent (Reinhardt, J.)
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