Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298, 35 (1992)

Page:   Index   Previous  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  Next

332

QUILL CORP. v. NORTH DAKOTA

Opinion of White, J.

sions or reliance interests that suggest any unfairness in overturning Bellas Hess. And the costs of compliance with the rule, in light of today's modern computer and software technology, appear to be nominal. See Brief for Respondent 40; Brief for State of New Jersey as Amicus Curiae 18. To the extent Quill developed any reliance on the old rule, I would submit that its reliance was unreasonable because of its failure to comply with the law as enacted by the North Dakota State Legislature. Instead of rewarding companies for ignoring the studied judgments of duly elected officials, we should insist that the appropriate way to challenge a tax as unconstitutional is to pay it (or in this case collect it and remit it or place it in escrow) and then sue for declaratory judgment and refund.4 Quill's refusal to comply with a state tax statute prior to its being held unconstitutional hardly merits a determination that its reliance interests were reasonable.

The Court hints, but does not state directly, that a basis for its invocation of stare decisis is a fear that overturning Bellas Hess will lead to the imposition of retroactive liability. Ante, at 317, 318, n. 10. See James B. Beam Distilling Co. v. Georgia, 501 U. S. 529 (1991). As I thought in that case, such fears are groundless because no one can "sensibly insist on automatic retroactivity for any and all judicial decisions in the federal system." Id., at 546 (White, J., concurring in judgment). Since we specifically limited the question on which certiorari was granted in order not to consider the potential retroactive effects of overruling Bellas Hess, I believe we should leave that issue for another day. If indeed fears about retroactivity are driving the Court's decision in this case, we would be better served, in my view, to address

4 For the federal rule, see Flora v. United States, 357 U. S. 63 (1958); see generally J. Mertens, Law of Federal Income Taxation § 58A.05 (1992). North Dakota appears to follow the same principle. See First Bank of Buffalo v. Conrad, 350 N. W. 2d 580, 586 (N. D. 1984) (citing 72 Am. Jur. 2d § 1087).

Page:   Index   Previous  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  Next

Last modified: October 4, 2007