Mail order wine lawsuit will not be bottled up [View all]

A lawsuit challenging Rhode Island's ban on national direct-to-consumer alcohol sales has survived a big procedural challenge.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. on Friday rejected the state's attempt to get the case thrown out for lack of standing.

The suit, filed in 2019, argues that the prohibition on out-of-state companies shipping booze directly to Rhode Island residents without first stopping at a wholesaler and local retailer, is an unconstitutional infringement on interstate commerce.

It's part of an effort backed by national retailers to strike down state laws preventing direct sales across the country.

Read more: https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2021/07/18/federal-court-rejects-ris-attempt-dismiss-lawsuit-against-ban/8002118002/