Leathers v. Medlock
499 U.S. 439 · Decided April 16, 1991 · 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
Leathers v. Medlock was decided on April 16, 1991 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision in part, reversed or vacated it in part, and remanded the case. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 499 U.S. 439 · 111 S. Ct. 1438 · 113 L. Ed. 2d 494 · 1991 U.S. LEXIS 2220
- Docket number
- 90-29
- Decided
- April 16, 1991
- Argued
- January 9, 1991
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed and reversed (or vacated) in part and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- First Amendment, miscellaneous
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority |
Full case caption
Leathers, Commissioner of Revenues of Arkansas v. Medlock et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1990-058, docket 1990-058-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Cohen v. Cowles Media Co.
- Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of NevadaLaw held unconstitutional
- Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of the New York State Crime Victims BoardLaw held unconstitutional
- United States v. Kokinda
- Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois
- Eddie Keller v. State Bar of California
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- James P. Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association
- Jeffrey M. Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
- Michael Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc.
- Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co.
- Gary E. Peel v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
- Osborne v. Ohio
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Jeffrey M. Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
- Michael Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc.
- Cohen v. Cowles Media Co.
- Dominic P. Gentile v. State Bar of NevadaLaw held unconstitutional
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