Brown v. Glines

444 U.S. 348 · Decided January 21, 1980 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Brown v. Glines was decided on January 21, 1980 by a vote of 5–3. 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 “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Thurgood Marshall.

Full case caption

Brown, Secretary of Defense, et al. v. Glines

SCDB identifiers: case 1979-022, docket 1979-022-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”

• Secretary of the Navy v. Huff
  444 U.S. 453Decided January 21, 19805–3Per curiam
• Snepp v. United States
  444 U.S. 507Decided February 19, 19806–3Per curiam
• Village of Schaumburg v. Citizens for a Better EnvironmentLaw held unconstitutional
  444 U.S. 620Decided February 20, 19808–1Byron R. White
• Branti v. Finkel
  445 U.S. 507Decided March 31, 19806–3John Paul Stevens
• Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. v. Public Service Commission of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  447 U.S. 530Decided June 20, 19807–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia
  448 U.S. 555Decided July 2, 19807–1Warren E. Burger

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Vance v. Universal Amusement Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  445 U.S. 308Decided March 18, 19805–4Per curiam
• Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  447 U.S. 557Decided June 20, 19808–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Wolston v. Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
  443 U.S. 157Decided June 26, 19798–1William H. Rehnquist
• Herbert v. Lando
  441 U.S. 153Decided April 18, 19796–3Byron R. White
• Friedman v. Rogers
  440 U.S. 1Decided February 21, 19797–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Schad v. Borough of Mount EphraimLaw held unconstitutional
  452 U.S. 61Decided June 1, 19817–2Byron R. White

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Secretary of the Navy v. Huff
  444 U.S. 453Decided January 21, 19805–3Per curiam
• Snepp v. United States
  444 U.S. 507Decided February 19, 19806–3Per curiam
• Village of Schaumburg v. Citizens for a Better EnvironmentLaw held unconstitutional
  444 U.S. 620Decided February 20, 19808–1Byron R. White
• Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Regan
  444 U.S. 646Decided February 20, 19805–4Byron R. White
• Vance v. Universal Amusement Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  445 U.S. 308Decided March 18, 19805–4Per curiam
• Branti v. Finkel
  445 U.S. 507Decided March 31, 19806–3John Paul Stevens

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