Costco Decision a Three-Tier Victory

Costco’s victory in 2006 has turned into a victory for wholesalers, small retailers, alcohol regulators and a number of three-tier advocates yesterday after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed almost all of the state regulations that had been overturned by lower District Court Judge Marsha Pechman in April 2006. Back then, the Costco case was considered a defeat by wholesalers after Judge Pechman ruled the state of Washington's argument of temperance and orderly markets under the 21st Amendment did