United States v. Darby

law case

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July 14, 2026

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In United States v. Darby (1941), the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This landmark decision affirmed that the FLSA's provisions regarding wages and hours did not violate the Fifth Amendment's due process clause. The Court ruled that Congress had the authority to regulate labor conditions through the FLSA, overturning previous decisions that had limited federal power in this area, such as Hammer v. Dagenhart which had struck down child labor regulations. The Darby ruling was crucial in establishing federal power over interstate commerce and labor standards, impacting minimum wage and overtime laws across the nation.12

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commerce clause
Interpretation of the commerce clause in United States Supreme Court cases
In the case of United States v. Darby (1941), although only some of the goods manufactured by Darby Lumber were to be shipped through interstate commerce, the Supreme Court held that the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) could be applied to the intrastate production of those goods, because…
Read More
In the case of United States v. Darby (1941), although only some of the goods manufactured by Darby Lumber were to be shipped through interstate commerce, the Supreme Court held that the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) could be applied to the intrastate production of those goods, because…
Read More