NORTHERN PIPELINE CONST. v. MARATHON PIPE LINE

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Case Basics
Docket No. 
81-150
Appellee 
Marathon Pipe Line
Appellant 
Northern Pipeline Const.
Consolidation 
No. 81-546
Decided By 
Burger Court (1981-1986)
Opinion 
458 U.S. 50 (1982)
Argued 
Tuesday, April 27, 1982
Decided 
Monday, June 28, 1982
Advocates
Melvin I. Orenstein
(Argued the cause for the appellee, Marathon Pipe Line)
John L. Devney
(Argued the cause for the appellant, Northern Pipeline Construction)
Rex E. Lee
(Argued the cause for the United States in both cases)
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Facts of the Case 

The Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 created a system of bankruptcy courts as an adjunct to the federal system of district courts. This case was decided together with United States v. Marathon Pipeline Co.

Question 

Did the Act violate Article III of the Constitution?

Conclusion 
Decision: 6 votes for Marathon Pipe Line, 3 vote(s) against
Legal provision: Article 3, Section 1, Paragraph 2: Good Behavior and Compensation Clause of Federal Judges

Yes. A plurality held that Congress had essentially conferred Article III powers to an adjunct system of courts and, consequently, "impermissibly removed most, if not all, of the essential attributes of the judicial power" from the district courts.

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NORTHERN PIPELINE CONST. v. MARATHON PIPE LINE. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 13 February 2012. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1981/1981_81_150>.
NORTHERN PIPELINE CONST. v. MARATHON PIPE LINE, The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, http://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1981/1981_81_150 (last visited February 13, 2012).
"NORTHERN PIPELINE CONST. v. MARATHON PIPE LINE," The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, accessed February 13, 2012, http://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1981/1981_81_150.