Ambach v. Norwick
441 U.S. 68 · Decided April 17, 1979 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Ambach v. Norwick was decided on April 17, 1979 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Employability of aliens” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 441 U.S. 68 · 99 S. Ct. 1589 · 60 L. Ed. 2d 49 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 85
- Docket number
- 76-808
- Decided
- April 17, 1979
- Argued
- January 10, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Employability of aliens
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent |
Full case caption
Ambach, Commissioner of Education of the State of New York, et al. v. Norwick et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-072, docket 1978-072-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Employability of aliens”
- Foley v. Connelie
- Cabell v. Chavez-Salido
- Examining Board of Engineers v. Flores de OteroLaw held unconstitutional
- Hampton v. Mow Sun WongLaw held unconstitutional
- De Canas v. Bica
- Saxbe v. Bustos
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Parham v. Hughes
- Caban v. Mohammed et Ux.Law held unconstitutional
- Orr v. OrrLaw held unconstitutional
- Personnel Administrator of Massachusetts v. Feeney
- Illinois State Board of Elections v. Socialist Workers PartyLaw held unconstitutional
- Columbus Board of Education v. Penick
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Board of Trustees of Keene State College v. Sweeney
- Dougherty County v. White
- Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
- Califano v. Aznavorian
- Lalli v. Lalli
- Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error