Beckley Newspapers Corp. v. Hanks
389 U.S. 81 · Decided November 6, 1967 · 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
Beckley Newspapers Corp. v. Hanks was decided on November 6, 1967 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and defamation” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 389 U.S. 81 · 88 S. Ct. 197 · 19 L. Ed. 2d 248 · 1967 U.S. LEXIS 344
- Docket number
- 467
- Decided
- November 6, 1967
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Libel and defamation
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Special concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Did not participate: Abe Fortas.
Full case caption
Beckley Newspapers Corp. v. Hanks
SCDB identifiers: case 1967-016, docket 1967-016-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Libel and defamation”
- Associated Press v. Walker
- Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts
- St. Amant v. Thompson
- Pickering v. Board of Education of Township High School District 205
- Watts v. Seward School Board
- Ashton v. Kentucky
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Whitehill v. ElkinsLaw held unconstitutional
- United Mine Workers of America v. Illinois State Bar Association
- Teitel Film Corp. v. CusackLaw held unconstitutional
- Cameron v. Johnson
- Ginsberg v. New York
- Interstate Circuit, Inc. v. City of DallasLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Associated Press v. Walker
- Potomac News Co. v. United States
- Conner v. City of Hammond
- Central Magazine Sales, Ltd. v. United States
- Chance v. California
- Whitehill v. ElkinsLaw 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