What U.S. Supreme Court case classified tomatoes as vegetables? Answer
The U.S. Supreme Court case that classified tomatoes as vegetables, for the purposes of tariffs and commerce, was Nix v. Hedden, decided in 1893. This legal dispute arose from the Tariff Act of 1883, which imposed a duty on imported vegetables but not on fruits. John Nix & Co., a fruit commission merchant, argued that tomatoes, being botanically fruits (as they develop from the flower and contain seeds), should be exempt from the vegetable tariff.
However, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Nix & Co. The Court's decision was based on the common usage and understanding of the terms "fruit" and "vegetable" in everyday language and commerce, rather than their strict botanical definitions. Justice Horace Gray, writing for the Court, pointed out that in common parlance, tomatoes are typically served, prepared, and eaten like vegetables, alongside or as part of the main course of a meal, rather than as a dessert like most fruits. This ruling established a legal precedent that for certain regulatory purposes, the common or culinary classification of produce could take precedence over its botanical classification.
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