Cohen v. Cowles Media Co.
501 U.S. 663 · Decided June 24, 1991 · 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
Cohen v. Cowles Media Co. was decided on June 24, 1991 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 501 U.S. 663 · 111 S. Ct. 2513 · 115 L. Ed. 2d 586 · 1991 U.S. LEXIS 3639
- Docket number
- 90-634
- Decided
- June 24, 1991
- Argued
- March 27, 1991
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Byron R. White
- 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
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Cohen v. Cowles Media Co., Dba Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co., et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1990-120, docket 1990-120-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of NevadaLaw held unconstitutional
- Leathers v. Medlock
- Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of the New York State Crime Victims BoardLaw held unconstitutional
- David Dawson v. Delaware
- Charles W. Burson v. Mary Rebecca Freeman
- Forsyth County v. the Nationalist MovementLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Michael Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc.
- Jeffrey M. Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
- James P. Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association
- Rav v. City of St. PaulLaw held unconstitutional
- Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co.
- Gary E. Peel v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Leathers v. Medlock
- Jeffrey M. Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
- Michael Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc.
- Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of NevadaLaw 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