Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc.
472 U.S. 749 · Decided June 26, 1985 · 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
Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc. was decided on June 26, 1985 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and defamation” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 472 U.S. 749 · 105 S. Ct. 2939 · 86 L. Ed. 2d 593 · 1985 U.S. LEXIS 103
- Docket number
- 83-18
- Decided
- June 26, 1985
- Argued
- March 21, 1984
- Reargued
- October 3, 1984
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Libel and defamation
- 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 William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Full case caption
Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1984-142, docket 1984-142-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Libel and defamation”
- McDonald v. Smith
- Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. HeppsLaw held unconstitutional
- Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
- Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc.
- Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
- Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc. v. Connaughton
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
- Brockett v. Spokane Arcades, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of OhioLaw held unconstitutional
- Wayte v. United States
- Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Utilities Commission of CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
- Wayte v. United States
- Board of Education of Oklahoma City v. National Gay Task ForceLaw held unconstitutional
- Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale v. Kathleen S. McCreary
- Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
- Jensen v. QuaringLaw 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