Califano v. Boles

443 U.S. 282 · Decided June 27, 1979 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Califano v. Boles was decided on June 27, 1979 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of illegitimates” in the Civil Rights area.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Califano, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare v. Boles et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1978-149, docket 1978-149-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Rights of illegitimates”

• Lalli v. Lalli
  439 U.S. 259Decided December 11, 19785–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• United States v. Clark
  445 U.S. 23Decided February 26, 19807–2Thurgood Marshall
• Trimble v. GordonLaw held unconstitutional
  430 U.S. 762Decided April 26, 19775–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Fiallo v. Bell
  430 U.S. 787Decided April 26, 19776–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Mills v. HabluetzelLaw held unconstitutional
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  427 U.S. 495Decided June 29, 19766–3Harry A. Blackmun

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Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (equal protection)

• Califano v. WestcottLaw held unconstitutional
  443 U.S. 76Decided June 25, 19795–4Harry A. Blackmun
• Davis v. Passman
  442 U.S. 228Decided June 5, 19795–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Vance v. Bradley
  440 U.S. 93Decided February 22, 19798–1Byron R. White
• Harris v. Rosario
  446 U.S. 651Decided May 27, 19806–3Per curiam
• Cleland v. National College of Business
  435 U.S. 213Decided March 20, 19788–1Per curiam
• United States Railroad Retirement Board v. Fritz
  449 U.S. 166Decided December 9, 19807–2William H. Rehnquist

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Board of Trustees of Keene State College v. Sweeney
  439 U.S. 24Decided November 13, 19785–4Per curiam
• Dougherty County v. White
  439 U.S. 32Decided November 28, 19785–4Thurgood Marshall
• Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
  439 U.S. 60Decided November 28, 19786–3William H. Rehnquist
• Califano v. Aznavorian
  439 U.S. 170Decided December 11, 19789–0Potter Stewart
• Lalli v. Lalli
  439 U.S. 259Decided December 11, 19785–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  439 U.S. 357Decided January 9, 19798–1Byron R. White

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