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Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California

493 U.S. 378 · Decided January 17, 1990 · 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

Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California was decided on January 17, 1990 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor 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
493 U.S. 378 · 110 S. Ct. 688 · 107 L. Ed. 2d 796 · 1990 U.S. LEXIS 485
Docket number
88-1374
Decided
January 17, 1990
Argued
October 31, 1989
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Affirmed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
Vote
9–0 (unanimous)
Majority opinion
Sandra Day O'Connor
Opinion assigned by
William H. Rehnquist
How the case arrived
Appeal
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

Full case caption

Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California

SCDB identifiers: case 1989-022, docket 1989-022-01.

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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