CaseTrail

Koehler v. Engle

466 U.S. 1 · Decided March 26, 1984 · 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

Koehler v. Engle was decided on March 26, 1984 by a vote of 4–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. The Justices were equally divided, which leaves the lower court's judgment in place without setting precedent. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions” in the Criminal Procedure area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
466 U.S. 1 · 104 S. Ct. 1673 · 80 L. Ed. 2d 1 · 1984 U.S. LEXIS 48
Docket number
83-1
Decided
March 26, 1984
Argued
February 28, 1984
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Equally divided vote
Disposition
Affirmed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
Vote
4–4
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

JusticeVoteSeparate writing
Justice William J. Brennan Jr.Equally divided vote
Justice Byron R. WhiteEqually divided vote
Chief Justice Warren E. BurgerEqually divided vote
Justice Harry A. BlackmunEqually divided vote
Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr.Equally divided vote
Justice William H. RehnquistEqually divided vote
Justice John Paul StevensEqually divided vote
Justice Sandra Day O'ConnorEqually divided vote

Did not participate: Thurgood Marshall.

Full case caption

Koehler, Warden v. Engle

SCDB identifiers: case 1983-059, docket 1983-059-01.

Other cases on “Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions”

See all

Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)

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