Judge overturns Ohio ban on wine shipments
Judge overturns Ohio ban on wine shipments
The Associated Press COLUMBUS – A federal judge cleared the way for unrestricted wine shipments to Ohio from out-of-state wineries, ruling the state’s limits are unconstitutional under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. U.S. District Judge George Smith on Tuesday struck down the Ohio’s laws and rules that limited shipments to 15 gallons per family annually of wines that are not already for sale in Ohio stores. Ohio connoisseurs now can receive any amount of wine as long as they pay state taxes. Indiana wineries and Ohio collectors had sued in 2003, but the lawsuit was put on hold during the Supreme Court case. The high court in May struck down New York and Michigan laws that banned all out-of-state wine shipments, reviving Ohio’s lawsuit and affecting similar laws in 21 other states. State regulators at first argued that Ohio’s laws were different but stopped enforcing the limits on the type and amount of wine in June. Attorneys for the state liquor control division had been working with the court on the agreed-upon order but hadn’t yet seen the final version, spokesman Matt Mullins said Wednesday. A message seeking comment was left with Robert Epstein, lead lawyer for the wineries and collectors. Smith noted his ruling applies only to wine. Ohio has similar restrictions on beer shipments. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d.../BIZ/307200009 |
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