Edwards v. Aguillard
482 U.S. 578 · Decided June 19, 1987 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Edwards v. Aguillard was decided on June 19, 1987 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)” 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
- 482 U.S. 578 · 107 S. Ct. 2573 · 96 L. Ed. 2d 510 · 1987 U.S. LEXIS 2729
- Docket number
- 85-1513
- Decided
- June 19, 1987
- Argued
- December 10, 1986
- 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
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- 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 William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Concurrence | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Edwards, Governor of Louisiana, et al. v. Aguillard et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1986-130, docket 1986-130-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)”
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
- Aguilar v. FeltonLaw held unconstitutional
- Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
- Board of Education of the Westside Community Schools, Etc. v. Bridget C. Mergens
- Mueller v. Allen
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos
- Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
- Texas Monthly, Inc. v. BullockLaw held unconstitutional
- Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union
- Lynch v. Donnelly
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- City of Newport v. Iacobucci
- Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Hobbie v. Unemployment Appeals Commission of Florida
- Meese v. Keene
- Pope v. Illinois
- Turner v. Safley
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