Eastern Enterprises v. Kenneth S. Apfel
524 U.S. 498 · Decided June 25, 1998 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Eastern Enterprises v. Kenneth S. Apfel was decided on June 25, 1998 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed 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 “Due process, takings clause” in the Due Process area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 524 U.S. 498 · 118 S. Ct. 2131 · 141 L. Ed. 2d 451 · 1998 U.S. LEXIS 4213
- Docket number
- 97-42
- Decided
- June 25, 1998
- Argued
- March 4, 1998
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Due process, takings clause
- Issue area
- Due Process
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (takings clause)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- An act of Congress
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice David H. Souter | Dissent | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Dissent | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Eastern Enterprises v. Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner of Social Security, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1997-096, docket 1997-096-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Due process, takings clause”
- Thomas R. Phillips v. Washington Legal Foundation
- City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes at Monterey, Ltd.
- Bernadine Suitum v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
- Bruce Babbitt v. Marvin K. Youpee, Sr.Law held unconstitutional
- Tina B. Bennis v. Michigan
- Anthony Palazzolo v. Rhode Island
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (takings clause)
- Agins et Ux. v. City of Tiburon
- Gurley v. Rhoden
- City of Pittsburgh v. Alco Parking Corp.
- United States v. Fuller et Ux.
- United States v. Grand River Dam Authority
- General Box Co. v. United States
Same Term, same area (Due Process)
- Janice R. Lachance v. Lester E. Erickson, Jr.
- Ohio Adult Parole Authority v. Eugene Woodard
- Thomas R. Phillips v. Washington Legal Foundation
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