Court Opinion

ID: 9431508
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:32:27.329506+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:23:28.715149
License: Public Domain

Justice Blackmun,
dissenting.
The Court, I fear, because of what it regards as the investment of time in having this case argued and briefed, is strong-arming the finality concept and finding a Cox exception that does not exist. We have jurisdiction, under 28 U. S. C. § 1257, only if there is a “final judgment” by the “highest court of a State” in which a decision could be had. To be sure, we have interpreted § 1257 somewhat flexibly to the effect that the finality requirement is satisfied in four discrete situations despite the need of further proceedings in the state courts: Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U. S. 469, 477 (1975).
*318The Court here concludes that this case falls within the first of the four Cox exceptions (“the outcome of further proceedings preordained,” id., at 479). With all respect, I disagree, for this case concerns rates, and there is no rate order whatsoever before this Court. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania invalidated the rate orders set by the Pennsylvania Commission, and remanded the cases for further ratemaking. The Court deludes itself when it speaks of preordination of the Commission’s further action. New rates will be set, based upon factors we do not as yet know, and only then will a final judgment possibly emerge in due course.
I therefore would dismiss the appeal for want of the final judgment that § 1257 requires.