Bowen v. Kendrick
487 U.S. 589 · Decided June 27, 1988 · 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
Bowen v. Kendrick was decided on June 27, 1988 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Establishment of religion” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 487 U.S. 589 · 108 S. Ct. 2562 · 101 L. Ed. 2d 520 · 1988 U.S. LEXIS 3027
- Docket number
- 87-253
- Decided
- June 27, 1988
- Argued
- March 30, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Establishment of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- 42 U.S.C. § 300
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Concurrence | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Bowen, Secretary of Health and Human Services v. Kendrick et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1987-148, docket 1987-148-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Establishment of religion”
- Texas Monthly, Inc. v. BullockLaw held unconstitutional
- Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos
- County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union
- Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
- Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale v. Kathleen S. McCreary
Cases on the same legal provision: 42 U.S.C. § 300
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
- Department of the Navy v. Egan
- Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
- Michael Boos, J. Michael Waller and Bridget Brooker v. Marion S. Barry, Jr.Law held unconstitutional
- Richard E. Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association
- Employment Division v. Smith
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