Hoffman v. Connecticut Department of Income Maintenance
492 U.S. 96 · Decided June 23, 1989 · 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
Hoffman v. Connecticut Department of Income Maintenance was decided on June 23, 1989 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Bankruptcy” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 492 U.S. 96 · 109 S. Ct. 2818 · 106 L. Ed. 2d 76 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 3138
- Docket number
- 88-412
- Decided
- June 23, 1989
- Argued
- April 19, 1989
- Court era
- Rehnquist 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
- Byron R. White
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Bankruptcy
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Hoffman, Trustee v. Connecticut Department of Income Maintenance et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-138, docket 1988-138-01.
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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