Kelley v. Johnson

425 U.S. 238 · Decided April 5, 1976 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Kelley v. Johnson was decided on April 5, 1976 by a vote of 6–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.

Full case caption

Kelley, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department v. Johnson

SCDB identifiers: case 1975-071, docket 1975-071-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”

• Greer v. Spock
  424 U.S. 828Decided March 24, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• Hudgens v. National Labor Relations BoardAltered precedent
  424 U.S. 507Decided March 3, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• Hynes v. Mayor and Council of Borough of OradellLaw held unconstitutional
  425 U.S. 610Decided May 19, 19767–1Warren E. Burger
• Elrod v. Burns
  427 U.S. 347Decided June 25, 19765–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Nebraska Press Assn. v. Stuart
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• McKinney v. AlabamaLaw held unconstitutional
  424 U.S. 669Decided March 23, 19768–0William H. Rehnquist
• Time, Inc. v. Firestone
  424 U.S. 448Decided March 2, 19766–2William H. Rehnquist
• Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc.Altered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  425 U.S. 748Decided May 24, 19767–1Harry A. Blackmun
• Young v. American Mini Theatres, Inc.
  427 U.S. 50Decided June 24, 19765–4John Paul Stevens
• Erznoznik v. City of JacksonvilleLaw held unconstitutional
  422 U.S. 205Decided June 23, 19756–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Bigelow v. VirginiaLaw held unconstitutional
  421 U.S. 809Decided June 16, 19757–2Harry A. Blackmun

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Buckley v. ValeoLaw held unconstitutional
  424 U.S. 1Decided January 30, 19767–1Per curiam
• Time, Inc. v. Firestone
  424 U.S. 448Decided March 2, 19766–2William H. Rehnquist
• Hudgens v. National Labor Relations BoardAltered precedent
  424 U.S. 507Decided March 3, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• McKinney v. AlabamaLaw held unconstitutional
  424 U.S. 669Decided March 23, 19768–0William H. Rehnquist
• Greer v. Spock
  424 U.S. 828Decided March 24, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• Hynes v. Mayor and Council of Borough of OradellLaw held unconstitutional
  425 U.S. 610Decided May 19, 19767–1Warren E. Burger

See all

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