Hodel v. Virginia Surface Mining & Reclamation Association, Inc.
452 U.S. 264 · Decided June 15, 1981 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Hodel v. Virginia Surface Mining & Reclamation Association, Inc. was decided on June 15, 1981 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision in part, reversed or vacated it in part, and remanded the case. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Natural resources and environmental protection” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 452 U.S. 264 · 101 S. Ct. 2352 · 69 L. Ed. 2d 1 · 1981 U.S. LEXIS 33
- Docket number
- 79-1538
- Decided
- June 15, 1981
- Argued
- February 23, 1981
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed and reversed (or vacated) in part and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Natural resources and environmental protection
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 30 U.S.C. § 1201
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Hodel, Acting Secretary of the Interior v. Virginia Surface Mining & Reclamation Association, Inc., et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1980-112, docket 1980-112-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Natural resources and environmental protection”
- Hodel v. Indiana
- Middlesex County Sewerage Authority v. National Sea Clammers Association
- City of Milwaukee v. Illinois
- Environmental Protection Agency v. National Crushed Stone Association
- Weinberger v. Romero-Barcelo
- Bryant v. Yellen
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Environmental Protection Agency v. National Crushed Stone Association
- Potomac Electric Power Co. v. Director
- Minnesota v. Clover Leaf Creamery Co.
- Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System v. Investment Company Institute
- Steadman v. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Diamond v. Diehr
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