Summary

Portrait of Abe Fortas Abe Fortas National Bellas Hess Incorporated v…

Indeed, if it did either, he benefit that it received from the State of Illinois would be no more than it now has-the ability to make sales of its merchandise, to utilize credit facilities, and to realize a profit; and, at the same time, it would be required to pay additional taxes. Under the present arrangement, it conducts its substantial, regular, and systematic business in Illinois and the State demands only that it collect from its customer-users-and remit to the State-the use tax which is merely equal to the sales tax which resident merchants must collect and remit.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Abe Fortas Abe Fortas National Bellas Hess Incorporated v…

There should be no doubt that this large-scale, systematic, continuous solicitation and exploitation of the Illinois consumer market is a sufficient 'nexus' to require Bellas Hess to collect from Illinois customers and to remit the use tax, especially when coupled with the use of the credit resources of residents of Illinois, dependent as that mechanism is upon the State's banking and credit institutions. Bellas Hess is not simply using the facilities of interstate commerce to serve customers in Illinois.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Abe Fortas Abe Fortas National Bellas Hess Incorporated v…

The burden is no greater than that placed upon local retailers by comparable sales tax obligations; and the Court's response that these administrative and record keeping requirements could 'entangle' appellant's interstate business in a welter of complicated obligations vastly underestimates the skill of contemporary man and his machines. There is no doubt that the collection of taxes from consumers is a burden; but it is no more of a burden on a mail order house such as appellant located in another State than on an enterprise in the same State which accepts orders by mail
Source: Wikisource

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