Califano v. Westcott
443 U.S. 76 · Decided June 25, 1979 · 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
Califano v. Westcott was decided on June 25, 1979 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Poverty law, constitutional” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 443 U.S. 76 · 99 S. Ct. 2655 · 61 L. Ed. 2d 382 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 138
- Docket number
- 78-437
- Decided
- June 25, 1979
- Argued
- April 16, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Poverty law, constitutional
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- An act of Congress
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Califano, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare v. Westcott et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-141, docket 1978-141-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Poverty law, constitutional”
- Quern v. Jordan
- Califano v. Aznavorian
- Harris v. Rosario
- Cleland v. National College of Business
- Califano v. Torres
- Zablocki v. RedhailLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (equal protection)
- Califano v. Boles
- Davis v. Passman
- Vance v. Bradley
- United States v. Antelope
- Alexander v. Fioto
- Califano v. Webster
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Board of Trustees of Keene State College v. Sweeney
- Dougherty County v. White
- Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
- Califano v. Aznavorian
- Lalli v. Lalli
- Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
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