Browning-Ferris Industries of Vermont, Inc. v. Kelco Disposal, Inc.
492 U.S. 257 · Decided June 26, 1989 · 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
Browning-Ferris Industries of Vermont, Inc. v. Kelco Disposal, Inc. was decided on June 26, 1989 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Punitive damages” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 492 U.S. 257 · 109 S. Ct. 2909 · 106 L. Ed. 2d 219 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 3285
- Docket number
- 88-556
- Decided
- June 26, 1989
- Argued
- April 18, 1989
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Punitive damages
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Eighth Amendment (prohibition of excessive fines)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Concurrence | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Browning-Ferris Industries of Vermont, Inc., et al. v. Kelco Disposal, Inc., et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-144, docket 1988-144-01.
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Other cases on “Punitive damages”
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Cases on the same legal provision: Eighth Amendment (prohibition of excessive fines)
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Goldberg v. Sweet
- Allegheny Pittsburgh Coal Co. v. County Commission of Webster CountyLaw held unconstitutional
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- Massachusetts v. Morash
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