Butterworth v. Smith
494 U.S. 624 · Decided March 21, 1990 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Butterworth v. Smith was decided on March 21, 1990 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 494 U.S. 624 · 110 S. Ct. 1376 · 108 L. Ed. 2d 572 · 1990 U.S. LEXIS 1533
- Docket number
- 88-1993
- Decided
- March 21, 1990
- Argued
- January 16, 1990
- 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
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- First Amendment, miscellaneous
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Butterworth, Attorney General of Florida, et al. v. Smith
SCDB identifiers: case 1989-053, docket 1989-053-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Fw/pbs, Inc. v. City of DallasLaw held unconstitutional
- University of Pennsylvania v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Eddie Keller v. State Bar of California
- Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois
- United States v. Kokinda
- Ward v. Rock Against Racism
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Austin v. Michigan State Chamber of Commerce
- Osborne v. Ohio
- Gary E. Peel v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
- Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co.
- Board of Trustees of the State University of New York v. Fox
- Texas v. JohnsonLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- University of Pennsylvania v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Fw/pbs, Inc. v. City of DallasLaw held unconstitutional
- Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California
- Federal Trade Commission v. Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association
- Austin v. Michigan State Chamber of Commerce
- 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