Edwards v. California

Summary

The Court held that California could not criminalize knowingly bringing an indigent nonresident into the State because the statute imposed an unconstitutional burden on interstate commerce. Although California's concerns about migration and public finances were substantial, a State may not isolate itself from shared national problems by restricting interstate transportation of persons. Justice Douglas, joined by Justice Murphy and Justice Black, and Justice Jackson separately concurred in the result while grounding the right to interstate movement in the privileges or immunities of national citizenship rather than the Commerce Clause.