Goldman v. Weinberger
475 U.S. 503 · Decided March 25, 1986 · 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
Goldman v. Weinberger was decided on March 25, 1986 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise of religion” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 475 U.S. 503 · 106 S. Ct. 1310 · 89 L. Ed. 2d 478 · 1986 U.S. LEXIS 34
- Docket number
- 84-1097
- Decided
- March 25, 1986
- Argued
- January 14, 1986
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Free exercise of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- 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 | Concurrence | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Concurrence | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Goldman v. Weinberger, Secretary of Defense, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1985-053, docket 1985-053-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”
- Bowen v. Roy
- Jensen v. QuaringLaw held unconstitutional
- Hobbie v. Unemployment Appeals Commission of Florida
- O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz
- Richard E. Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association
- Employment Division v. Smith
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Gary Locke v. Joshua Davey
- Trinity Lutheran Church v. ComerLaw held unconstitutional
- Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
- Zorach v. Clauson
- Espinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
- Carson v. MakinLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Utilities Commission of CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
- City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.
- Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
- Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. HeppsLaw held unconstitutional
- New York v. P.J. Video, Inc.
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