The federal lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment that the 2014 “anti-Tesla” law is unconstitutional and asks for an injunction to prevent its enforcement.

The Michigan Department of State last week denied Tesla’s application for a dealer license to sell to consumers, citing the law, which is backed by big auto companies and their dealerships. It has not decided on Tesla’s bid to register a vehicle repair facility in the state, which is home to the Detroit Big Three carmakers. …