Bartnicki v. Vopper

532 U.S. 514 · Decided May 21, 2001 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Bartnicki v. Vopper was decided on May 21, 2001 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and privacy (false light)” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Bartnicki et al. v. Vopper, aka Williams, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 2000-052, docket 2000-052-01.

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Other cases on “Libel and privacy (false light)”

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• Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. CohnLaw held unconstitutional
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Good News Club v. Milford Central School
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  532 U.S. 223Decided April 18, 20019–0Clarence Thomas
• Legal Services Corporation v. Carmen VelazquezLaw held unconstitutional
  531 U.S. 533Decided February 28, 20015–4Anthony M. Kennedy
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• Boy Scouts of America and Monmouth Council v. James DaleLaw held unconstitutional
  530 U.S. 640Decided June 28, 20005–4William H. Rehnquist
• Leila Jeanne Hill v. Colorado
  530 U.S. 703Decided June 28, 20006–3John Paul Stevens

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Legal Services Corporation v. Carmen VelazquezLaw held unconstitutional
  531 U.S. 533Decided February 28, 20015–4Anthony M. Kennedy
• Robert Shaw v. Kevin Murphy
  532 U.S. 223Decided April 18, 20019–0Clarence Thomas
• Good News Club v. Milford Central School
  533 U.S. 98Decided June 11, 20016–3Clarence Thomas
• United States and Department of Agriculture v. United Foods, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  533 U.S. 405Decided June 25, 20016–3Anthony M. Kennedy
• Federal Election Commission v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee
  533 U.S. 431Decided June 25, 20015–4David H. Souter

See all

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