Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
478 U.S. 421 · Decided July 2, 1986 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was decided on July 2, 1986 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Affirmative action” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 478 U.S. 421 · 106 S. Ct. 3019 · 92 L. Ed. 2d 344 · 1986 U.S. LEXIS 132
- Docket number
- 84-1656
- Decided
- July 2, 1986
- Argued
- February 25, 1986
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Affirmative action
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association et al. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1985-153, docket 1985-153-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Affirmative action”
- Local Number 93 v. City of Cleveland
- Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education
- United States v. Paradise
- Johnson v. Transportation Agency
- Firefighters Local Union No. 1784 v. Stotts
- City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson CompanyLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
- Library of Congress v. Shaw
- Bazemore v. Friday
- Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson
- Ansonia Board of Education v. Philbrook
- California Federal Savings & Loan Assn. v. Guerra
- Goodman v. Lukens Steel Co.
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- California State Board of Equalization v. Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
- Green v. Mansour
- Vasquez v. Hillery
- Daniels v. WilliamsAltered precedent
- Davidson v. Cannon
- Malley v. Briggs
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