Deshaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services
489 U.S. 189 · Decided February 22, 1989 · 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
Deshaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services was decided on February 22, 1989 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Juveniles” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 489 U.S. 189 · 109 S. Ct. 998 · 103 L. Ed. 2d 249 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 1039
- Docket number
- 87-154
- Decided
- February 22, 1989
- Argued
- November 2, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Juveniles
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Deshaney, a Minor, by His Guardian Ad Litem, et al. v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-037, docket 1988-037-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Juveniles”
- United States v. R. L. C.
- Carol Ankenbrandt v. Jon A. Richards and Debra Kesler
- Schall v. Martin
- Tuten v. United States
- Santosky v. KramerLaw held unconstitutional
- Ralston v. Robinson
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Jerry Tarkanian
- Kentucky Department of Corrections v. Thompson
- Arizona v. Youngblood
- Michael H. v. Gerald D.
- Carella v. California
- Webster v. Reproductive Health Services
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Town of Huntington v. Huntington Branch
- Penson v. Ohio
- Pittston Coal Group v. Sebben
- Owens v. Okure
- City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson CompanyLaw held unconstitutional
- In re McDonald
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