Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn

420 U.S. 469 · Decided March 3, 1975 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn was decided on March 3, 1975 by a vote of 8–1. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and privacy (false light)” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

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

Cox Broadcasting Corp. et al. v. Cohn

SCDB identifiers: case 1974-059, docket 1974-059-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Libel and privacy (false light)”

• Cantrell v. Forest City Publishing Co.
  419 U.S. 245Decided December 18, 19748–1Potter Stewart
• Nixon v. Administrator of General Services
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• Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.
  433 U.S. 562Decided June 28, 19775–4Byron R. White
• Time, Inc. v. Hill
  385 U.S. 374Decided January 9, 19675–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• The Florida Star v. B. J. F.Law held unconstitutional
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Southeastern Promotions, Ltd. v. Conrad
  420 U.S. 546Decided March 18, 19756–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Bigelow v. VirginiaLaw held unconstitutional
  421 U.S. 809Decided June 16, 19757–2Harry A. Blackmun
• Erznoznik v. City of JacksonvilleLaw held unconstitutional
  422 U.S. 205Decided June 23, 19756–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. TornilloLaw held unconstitutional
  418 U.S. 241Decided June 25, 19749–0Warren E. Burger
• Old Dominion Branch No. 496 v. Austin
  418 U.S. 264Decided June 25, 19746–3Thurgood Marshall
• Lehman v. City of Shaker Heights
  418 U.S. 298Decided June 25, 19745–4Harry A. Blackmun

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Cantrell v. Forest City Publishing Co.
  419 U.S. 245Decided December 18, 19748–1Potter Stewart
• Southeastern Promotions, Ltd. v. Conrad
  420 U.S. 546Decided March 18, 19756–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Meek v. PittengerLaw held unconstitutional
  421 U.S. 349Decided May 19, 19756–3Potter Stewart
• Eastland v. United States Servicemen's Fund
  421 U.S. 491Decided May 27, 19758–1Warren E. Burger
• Bigelow v. VirginiaLaw held unconstitutional
  421 U.S. 809Decided June 16, 19757–2Harry A. Blackmun
• Cort v. Ash
  422 U.S. 66Decided June 17, 19759–0William J. Brennan Jr.

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