CaseTrail

Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.

459 U.S. 116 · Decided December 13, 1982 · 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

Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc. was decided on December 13, 1982 by a vote of 8–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Establishment of religion” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
459 U.S. 116 · 103 S. Ct. 505 · 74 L. Ed. 2d 297 · 1982 U.S. LEXIS 170
Docket number
81-878
Decided
December 13, 1982
Argued
October 4, 1982
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Affirmed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
Vote
8–1
Majority opinion
Warren E. Burger
Opinion assigned by
Warren E. Burger
How the case arrived
Appeal
Issue area
First Amendment
Legal provision
First Amendment (establishment of religion)
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Held unconstitutional
A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Larkin et al. v. Grendel's Den, Inc.

SCDB identifiers: case 1982-010, docket 1982-010-01.

Other cases on “Establishment of religion”

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

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