Cynthia Waters v. Cheryl R. Churchill
511 U.S. 661 · Decided May 31, 1994 · 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
Cynthia Waters v. Cheryl R. Churchill was decided on May 31, 1994 by a vote of 7–2. The Court vacated the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 511 U.S. 661 · 114 S. Ct. 1878 · 128 L. Ed. 2d 686 · 1994 U.S. LEXIS 4104
- Docket number
- 92-1450
- Decided
- May 31, 1994
- Argued
- December 1, 1993
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Vacated and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- 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 Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Special concurrence | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority |
Full case caption
Cynthia Waters, et al. v. Cheryl R. Churchill, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1993-059, docket 1993-059-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- City of Ladue v. Margaret P. GilleoLaw held unconstitutional
- Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
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- United States v. National Treasury Employees UnionLaw held unconstitutional
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Silvia S. Ibanez v. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
- Judy Madsen v. Women's Health Center, Inc.
- Lamb's Chapel and John Steigerwald v. Center Moriches Union Free School DistrictLaw held unconstitutional
- John J. Hurley and South Boston Allied War Veterans Council v. Irish-American GayLaw held unconstitutional
- Florida Bar v. Went for It, Inc.
- Fred H. Edenfield v. Scott FaneLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- City of Ladue v. Margaret P. GilleoLaw held unconstitutional
- Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
- Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Louis GrumetLaw 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