Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada
501 U.S. 1030 · Decided June 27, 1991 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada was decided on June 27, 1991 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 501 U.S. 1030 · 111 S. Ct. 2720 · 115 L. Ed. 2d 888 · 1991 U.S. LEXIS 3820
- Docket number
- 89-1836
- Decided
- June 27, 1991
- Argued
- April 15, 1991
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Anthony M. Kennedy
- Opinion assigned by
- Thurgood Marshall
- 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
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice David H. Souter | Dissent |
Full case caption
Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada
SCDB identifiers: case 1990-129, docket 1990-129-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Cohen v. Cowles Media Co.
- 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.
- Cohen v. Cowles Media Co.
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