Keyishian v. Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York
385 U.S. 589 · Decided January 23, 1967 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Keyishian v. Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York was decided on January 23, 1967 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Loyalty oath, teachers” in the First Amendment area. SCDB codes this decision as formally altering one or more of the Court's own precedents. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 385 U.S. 589 · 87 S. Ct. 675 · 17 L. Ed. 2d 629 · 1967 U.S. LEXIS 2454
- Docket number
- 105
- Decided
- January 23, 1967
- Argued
- November 17, 1966
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Loyalty oath, teachers
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Altered precedent
- Yes — formally altered the Court's precedent
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority |
Full case caption
Keyishian et al. v. Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1966-044, docket 1966-044-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Loyalty oath, teachers”
- Connell v. HigginbothamLaw held unconstitutional
- Cramp v. Board of Public Instruction of Orange CountyLaw held unconstitutional
- Slochower v. Board of Higher Education of New York CityLaw held unconstitutional
- Wieman v. UpdegraffLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Time, Inc. v. Hill
- Bond v. Floyd
- Adderley v. Florida
- Redrup v. New York
- Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts
- Ashton v. Kentucky
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Adderley v. Florida
- Bond v. Floyd
- Time, Inc. v. Hill
- United States v. Laub
- Travis v. United States
- Redrup v. New York
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